September 11, 2001
Who could ever forget that date? America, our country, our land, was attacked. Thousands of New Yorkers lost their lives in the destruction of the World Trade Centers; Mothers, Fathers, sons, daughters, friends, and loved ones were lost that day. Everywhere, tears were shed and anguish filled the hearts of many. I remember being in third grade having barely a clue, about the severity of the situation. I was in class at the time, and my friends were constantly leaving the room one by one. My teacher told us simply to go to the computer lab and play games until we were picked up. Like the clueless child I was, I was happy that school ended so abruptly. However, my mind got a big slap in the face once I realized the gravity of the situation. I came home to my mother sitting silently on the living room couch, staring at the TV screen nearly teary-eyed. I took a look at the TV and saw what she had been staring at. My face, excited for being home early, suddenly became empty. This was no happy situation. My mother came over to me and hugged me for a long time, talking endlessly about the people in the building. I didn’t know what to think. I was a mere child. The burning buildings didn’t pull me as much as it did to those who knew just what had happened. Now, when I think back about it, a great sadness just takes over me; I think of the people who died, their families, what they must be going through, and I always end up thanking God that no one in my family was hurt. Perhaps this is why, growing up early on, I never gave too much of my attention to the events of 9/11. If I had lost a family member, I’m sure I would be in deep pain even now, never forgetting their image as the numbers pass through my head.
Shortly after September 11th, the atmosphere over New York City changed. More security measures were being taken, racism against middle eastern people grew, a stark sadness came upon the City’s people as well as a great sense of patriotism, and the tallest building that loomed over everyone and everything, was gone. Fast forward to now, life in New York City is back to normal. One would think that after the attacks, city dwellers would be overcome with fear and flood the more suburban areas, and that no one would want to visit New York in fear of another attack, yet quite the opposite happened. A lot of people still live and work in New York City today and tourism is also pretty high just as it was before the attacks. For those outside of New York, their perception of New York City did not change (at least not significantly) despite the devastating event ten years ago. Foreigners from all over the world, and from other parts of America still come here for the same reasons they did before September 11th. They still come to see the art, the plays, the amazing city lights, and to do some sightseeing. However, this doesn’t mean that they just overlook what happened on 9/11. They are well aware of what happened, it’s just that the image and fantasy of New York still prevails in the minds of many.
Although the impact of 9/11 was widespread in America, it proved to hold more meaning to those who lived in New York City. For starters, that’s where the attack was directed. New York lost one of its biggest icons and thousands of its people. No one else felt the pain that New York felt. We lost people in our community. The people that don’t live in New York don’t understand how the loss truly feels, save a few. I can say this with certainty. The family men and women of New York in the World Trade Center, the first responders from our brave police and fire department, gone.
Although artists constantly portray September 11th in many ways, not one of them can truly portray the traumatic events as it unfolded that very day. There are many moving pieces of art about 9/11 that do capture great emotion and have a lot of meaning, but nothing comes close to expressing the first hand destruction of the Twin Towers but the event itself. There’s just too much for any one piece of art to capture. Recreating the confusion, the anger, and the sadness that enveloped that day just seems impossible. You can tell one story, or maybe hundreds about 9/11 with a piece of art, but you can never get the real feeling unless it is repeated, God forbid.
September 11th was a tough day for all of us in New York. Although it was only 10 years ago, we still remember. Every New Yorker has their own experience that they remember quite vividly. Even someone like me who was a mere kid at the time, can recall that very day (although in a much different way). I’ll never forget it. God bless the people who lost their lives that day, and the families that mourn them. In particular, I want to give my special thanks and prayers to Cesar Borja, a family friend, who was a first responder on that fateful day. God bless his soul, and may they all rest in peace.
