Picking up the Phone
Posted September 11th, 2007 by Howard TaylerI was upstairs looking out the window at the flags on display wondering what September 11th meant to me. Today it means courage in the face of the unknown, and I remember the firefighters, police officers, and other emergency services personnel who selflessly gave their lives on this day six years ago.
To my friend Richard this day is about acquaintance and friendship, and how sometimes we suddenly find ourselves wishing we’d said “thank you” or “I love you” a day earlier.
Each year on this anniversary my friend Richard calls the people he cares about, and lets them know he is thinking of them. It’s a wonderful call, and today it came while I was lost in my own musings upon the matter.
Richard is on to something here. If each of us will take the time to express the love we feel, and to serve each other in some small way, the world will be a much, much better place.
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September 11th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
Here here!
Expect my call just as soon as I get the courage to see whether your number is listed or not.
hint, here is your chance to get it taken out of the directory before I become a full fledged stalker. ;P
September 11th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
I spent some time thinking about 9/11/01 today as well. I was working 6 blocks north of the towers when they were hit, and was living in Harlem at the time, so I got to see the event and the aftermath.
Although these events were tragic and painful at the time, I have dealt with it and there are many things I remember from that day that make me smile. The best of all is the way that all the New Yorkers I saw worked together: store owners were giving away bottled water to anyone who passed and good walking shoes to women in heels; anyone with a vehicle was taking people out of the disaster area; people with working landlines (some of which were payphones) were letting those of us with nothing but cell phones call our loved ones for free. New York is a wonderful city.
September 11th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
I’ve been thinking about the 9/11 attacks as well. I pray for the victims’ families and I pray for our country. As Tiny Tim put it: “God bless us, everyone.”
Even though I’m not Jewish, I’ll mention that tomorrow starts the High Holy Days.
September 12th, 2007 at 1:44 am
I was working in Amsterdam at the time the incident happened. Even the BBC website was virtually unreachable and any U.S. source that might have coverage of the story was impossible to get at.
The solution my Dutch colleagues came up with was to shut the office and go home to watch on TV; didn’t make me too happy – I lost more than a half day’s income. Osama owes me compensation for lost earnings. I hate to think what he owes the people of New York for property damage.
What I do hate about the current situation is that people in the current administration will use phrases like “Captured and killed” when referring to OBL. If we in what we like to call the “civilised world” give up on principles of innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, then we’re no better than the terrorists.
September 12th, 2007 at 9:44 am
Howard, I think that your friend Richard has exactly the right idea. I strongly dislike the idea of making September 11 a holiday–a date chosen by murderers, not by the people of the United States. But making September 11 an active, living day of remembrance can be our way of turning the aftermath of a horrific event into something beautiful.
September 12th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
Howard,
Thanks for you comments.
9/11 is a terrible day to remember. It is heart-wrenching and full of despair and tears, even six years later. I had to find a way to deal with the sadness. Calling people who might not know how they have had an impact in my life was what I decided to do. I’m taking this day back, even though I still shed tears every year. Now I share laughter and a sense of social awkwardness. Calling someone on the phone you know in a business or social setting and expressing your appreciation for them and then saying “I love you” is not easy, but it helps.
Thank you again Howard, for being a part of my life and thank you for pursuing your dream with passion. It gives me courage to pursue my own.
September 13th, 2007 at 8:17 pm
Well, hopefully he will be apprehended and tried.
If not, dead in a hole suits me fine. As long as he has the chance to surrender.