Hey guys! Today is Tuesday...
*sigh*
Today is 9/11 and I'm not the sort of person to write/talk about it. I find it hard to express my opinions on this subject. I think it's important to remember those who have been lost and those who lost loved ones, but there's a point where I have to draw the line.
I don't want to see the old news footage from that day. I don't want to see photos of the towers falling all over the Internet with the caption, "Remember 9/11." I want to remember the individuals, not the whole ordeal overall. I think many people focus on the act and get angry, forgetting that the people who are left in the wake of such an event are the ones who need to be cared for and supported on this anniversary.
Last semester, I read a novel for my contemporary literature course called The Falling Man. It's about a family after the 9/11 attacks and how the event impacted each person. The father survived the attacks, escaping one of the towers before it fell. The mother became even more disconnected from their already crumbling relationship. The son made up explanations for what had happened that day. The emotional impact of the attacks was felt nationwide, but those of us who didn't experience it firsthand can't really understand the feelings of those who did. This novel, while a difficult book to get through (I'll admit, it was slightly boring), was very insightful and helped me understand the emotional aftermath of the attacks more. But most of all, it validated my feelings about the way we remember 9/11.
Covering the Internet, television networks and newspapers with photos/footage of the towers doesn't help those who are trying to move on and live life in the long-term aftermath of the attacks. I can't imagine having lost someone, or surviving when others you knew perished... but I'd assume it can't be easy to see the footage or photos, even after all these years. Why make this anniversary (and all of them to come) more painful than it already must be?
The most amazing thing I've seen in order to remember those lost was a memorial at a local funeral park a few years back. On one empty lawn, hundreds of flags were raised, along with little notes about the person it was honoring, and the family that was left behind. Driving by, it's instills a powerful feeling of sadness and awe. There were no photos of the attacks. No videos playing on a loop. No "patriotic" songs playing. Just flags standing and flowing in the breeze. It was silent, simple, and beautiful.
If only more people could remember those lost in such a quiet, personal way... without devastating images and overly patriotic proclamations. But not many people share my feelings. Which is why I don't typically discuss 9/11...
I hope all of you enjoyed your Tuesdays...
DFTBA
Shelby W.
