Six Months Later, Feels Like Six Days

Downloaded the CBS documentary 9|11 That aired six months after that horrific day, and watched it for the first time this afternoon. It was a two hour commercial free special, consisting of edited footage from the events of the day, mostly as seen through one firehouse's eyes. I'd never before seen footage from inside the towers as it happened, or witnessed the amazing acts of courage and bravery that took place all around the World Trade Center that day.

Everyone deals with things in different ways, for some the best way to heal is attempt to forget, as impossible as it may seem. For those others though who want to learn more about what happened, and how it happened, and pay tribute to those involved, I highly recommend watching this film. I'm sure there will be more like it, for years to come, as this event goes down in history as the worst terrorist attack this country has ever seen to this day.

My feelings while watching the destruction were much as they were that morning, as I awoke to a world that was no longer innocent. Some sadness, mostly disbelief, complete and utter amazement, dumbfounded that something like this actually happened. Some scenes were as powerful as they come, striking a chord in I'm sure everyone who witnessed them. One specific one affected me personally the most, as the clean up process began during the days and weeks following. All the rescue workers still had hope of finding people alive, as hundreds, probably thousands of them converged on the scene to do anything they possibly could to help. The digging through the rubble was non-stop, the sound of heavy machinery and iron workers, fireman radios and loud communication filled the air. Every once in a while though, the shout for silence would come across the pile, and be passed along to everyone present. Suddenly, all the sound would stop. Other than a rare distant siren or a random two-way radio, silence. Everyone listening, waiting, hoping. The camera panned across the rubble, and the emotions of the people were clearly written on their faces. Eventually, everyone going back to work, even as they realized the task was becoming more and more fruitless. Only a few people ended up being pulled from the rubble after the first day, but still the work continues.

I've heard that one of the plans for a memorial at the site is to have several extremely powerful spotlights put in the place the towers once stood, and have them shine directly upwards into the sky, such that it would give the impression the towers were still there, strong as ever. Who knows what will actually end up in their place, or how long the clean up process will continue, but I think we all agree that something should be done to help us remember what happened.

A few summers ago I stood on the World Trade Center's Tower 2, looking out over all of New York. The view was one I won't forget.