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I was walking/running north along sixth avenue to go and do a vocal session further uptown from my apartment. I was late so I was hurrying. I noticed abnormally large crowds on the street, with some huddled around a radio.
I walked over and asked a gentleman what was going on. He looked me in the eye and calmly stated.
"Two planes just flew into the World Trade Centre. Terrorists they say."
I paused dumfounded and then turned around to see the nightmare before my eyes.
Never did I think that they would fall.
When the first one went I was then near a park, and had turned to keep walking after having another disturbed look.
I'll never forget the screams of pure panic and distress from men and women alike. I was confused and from the fear in the voices thought perhaps another plane was going to hit us.
I then heard "The tower's falling".
Such a..
All I could do was put my hand to my mouth and whisper the word "No" as I sickeningly watched human lives destroyed as the first tower went down in a billow of smoke.
Then.... chaos. The city shut down. Phones, banks, subways. Masses walked north. Masses. Some covered in dust in a daze.
All history now.
That night I rode around on a bike. The city was a ghost town. The nightly sickening smell of death, dust, rubble and asbestos began floating north that night.
And we readjusted. The nights following were incredible displays of human connection. Strength in unity. Hugs, conversation, music, prayers.
It's typified by the story of our churches bassist, who walked out of the WTC subway stop just as the first plane hit.
He ended up being caught in the cloud and ran, blinded, into a brick wall.
Dazed, surrounded by dust, he flailed around blindly. His hands touched someone, so he just held on. He held on!
Someone touched his belt and grabbed it. Another touched him and held on. There ended up being a group of humans huddled together, simply gaining comfort and strength by CONNECTING.
What a microcosmic example of the human existence. Right there. Ordinarily strangers who because of a disaster connected with each other and strengthened each other in an unbelievable way.
That gives reason to madness.
What we do with a negative situation is so important. We can use pain to connect deaper with each other. By healing each other we can know each other on such a deep level, in a depth usually glossed over when all's o.k.
Human need.
Find hope in this. Hope is the road forward.
Thank God for life, love, hope and an interesting ride...and that we're still on it - for it can end at any time.
[ 09-11-2002, 01:01 PM: Message edited by: Yorick ]
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