Danustouch
November 19th, 2001, 03:15 PM
My friend sent me this really heart felt and emotional letter today, and I thought the emotions he expressed, were so beautiful, I had to share them with you.
Blessed Be!
*********************************************
Greetings!
This is a bit off topic, but I wanted to share our experience with all of you. Since Thanksgiving is this week I thought that the timing was right...
Yesterday my wife Holly and I went down to New York City to take our daughter to Radio City Music Hall for the Holiday Show. The show was really nice, and she had a blast... but it was very strange being in New York City. There were National Guard everywhere around Grand Central Station - and a few other prominent buildings. There are still many "missing persons" posters hanging - from people still hoping to find someone who was lost on September 11th. Places which are usually overcrowded - were practically empty. Radio City was half-full. The restaurant we went to for lunch - which I've gone to hundreds of times and which is usually very crowded - had only one other group of people in it other than us. Lots of businesses (mainly restaurants and small specialty shops) have gone out of business. A lot of buildings have increased security - and you have to have your bags checked before you go in (including Radio City). The streets were still busy - but not like they usually are at this time of the year. There are American flags everywhere... and I did notice that people seemed to be a bit nicer than usual. OK - maybe "nicer" is pushing it... but the people were a lot quieter than usual.
We were nowhere near where the World Trade Center had been... but we were in some places where you normally would have been able to see the WTC if you looked downtown. It was very, very strange to look downtown and see the Empire State Building without the World Trade Center looming behind it. There were reminders everywhere. Just about every street corner had a vendor selling something WTC-related... from postcards to photos... artwork to flags... buttons and pins to T-shirts. Some of it was very emotional... very sad... and some of it was upsetting. It seemed as if some people were just trying to make a dollar from the tragedy... and to hear the way they were talking of it was even more upsetting.
It was a very strange feeling indeed...
Usually when I go to New York City, I enjoy the feeling of anonymity. There was a time when I would go there every single weekend to spend time with friends who were going to art school there (I was supposed to go to art school too - but decided not to at the last moment... but that's another story!). I have gone there many times by myself... to be alone. You can go there to sort of escape... get away from your day to day life. No one knows you so no one cares about you one way or the other. They don't know or care what you do for a living... how big your house is... what kind of car you drive... what religion you follow... whether you are a nice person, a good friend or anything like that. You can go there - be alone - and it is like being in a whole different world which was open to everyone. If you did experience some sort of discomfort in a particular place or with a particular person, it didn't matter... you could go to the next place and it would be fine. There was something for everyone - and everything was open to you. Not yesterday though. The city has kind of closed itself off. Everyone is keeping an eye on everyone else... and everyone has a certain sense or fear or discomfort. It is understandable. It is also heartbreaking.
Yesterday was our daughter's first time being in a large city. We wanted her to share in our love for New York City... to see how much it meant to us (and why I am one of the few people who actually dreams of retiring to New York City!). We were not able to do that though. I usually feel so alive... so happy... so creative - when I visit New York. Yesterday I just felt a tremendous sorrow...
Life really isn't the same anymore...
On Thursday many of us will turn our thoughts towards giving thanks for all that we have been blessed with in life. We shall reflect on our lives, our families and our friends. We shall give thanks for our homes... our jobs... our health. We shall look to connect with one another - and celebrate those connections, rather than our differences. We shall remember those whom we've lost... and give thanks for the time that we have had with them.
My prayer is that we shall continue to give thanks on Friday... and on Saturday. My prayer is that we have learned to give thanks for the blessings we receive in life... not just on Thanksgiving or other holidays... but every day.
Life is not the same anymore. Those of us who are parents can certainly understand that. Our daughter is only three and a half - but after the September 11th attacks she spoke of planes falling from the sky. Her world has changed. My job hasn't though. My job is to make sure that both my daughter and my son know that they are loved... and to let them know how thankful I am for each of them...
I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving...
And I am eternally thankful for knowing all of you...
Blessed Be!
*********************************************
Greetings!
This is a bit off topic, but I wanted to share our experience with all of you. Since Thanksgiving is this week I thought that the timing was right...
Yesterday my wife Holly and I went down to New York City to take our daughter to Radio City Music Hall for the Holiday Show. The show was really nice, and she had a blast... but it was very strange being in New York City. There were National Guard everywhere around Grand Central Station - and a few other prominent buildings. There are still many "missing persons" posters hanging - from people still hoping to find someone who was lost on September 11th. Places which are usually overcrowded - were practically empty. Radio City was half-full. The restaurant we went to for lunch - which I've gone to hundreds of times and which is usually very crowded - had only one other group of people in it other than us. Lots of businesses (mainly restaurants and small specialty shops) have gone out of business. A lot of buildings have increased security - and you have to have your bags checked before you go in (including Radio City). The streets were still busy - but not like they usually are at this time of the year. There are American flags everywhere... and I did notice that people seemed to be a bit nicer than usual. OK - maybe "nicer" is pushing it... but the people were a lot quieter than usual.
We were nowhere near where the World Trade Center had been... but we were in some places where you normally would have been able to see the WTC if you looked downtown. It was very, very strange to look downtown and see the Empire State Building without the World Trade Center looming behind it. There were reminders everywhere. Just about every street corner had a vendor selling something WTC-related... from postcards to photos... artwork to flags... buttons and pins to T-shirts. Some of it was very emotional... very sad... and some of it was upsetting. It seemed as if some people were just trying to make a dollar from the tragedy... and to hear the way they were talking of it was even more upsetting.
It was a very strange feeling indeed...
Usually when I go to New York City, I enjoy the feeling of anonymity. There was a time when I would go there every single weekend to spend time with friends who were going to art school there (I was supposed to go to art school too - but decided not to at the last moment... but that's another story!). I have gone there many times by myself... to be alone. You can go there to sort of escape... get away from your day to day life. No one knows you so no one cares about you one way or the other. They don't know or care what you do for a living... how big your house is... what kind of car you drive... what religion you follow... whether you are a nice person, a good friend or anything like that. You can go there - be alone - and it is like being in a whole different world which was open to everyone. If you did experience some sort of discomfort in a particular place or with a particular person, it didn't matter... you could go to the next place and it would be fine. There was something for everyone - and everything was open to you. Not yesterday though. The city has kind of closed itself off. Everyone is keeping an eye on everyone else... and everyone has a certain sense or fear or discomfort. It is understandable. It is also heartbreaking.
Yesterday was our daughter's first time being in a large city. We wanted her to share in our love for New York City... to see how much it meant to us (and why I am one of the few people who actually dreams of retiring to New York City!). We were not able to do that though. I usually feel so alive... so happy... so creative - when I visit New York. Yesterday I just felt a tremendous sorrow...
Life really isn't the same anymore...
On Thursday many of us will turn our thoughts towards giving thanks for all that we have been blessed with in life. We shall reflect on our lives, our families and our friends. We shall give thanks for our homes... our jobs... our health. We shall look to connect with one another - and celebrate those connections, rather than our differences. We shall remember those whom we've lost... and give thanks for the time that we have had with them.
My prayer is that we shall continue to give thanks on Friday... and on Saturday. My prayer is that we have learned to give thanks for the blessings we receive in life... not just on Thanksgiving or other holidays... but every day.
Life is not the same anymore. Those of us who are parents can certainly understand that. Our daughter is only three and a half - but after the September 11th attacks she spoke of planes falling from the sky. Her world has changed. My job hasn't though. My job is to make sure that both my daughter and my son know that they are loved... and to let them know how thankful I am for each of them...
I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving...
And I am eternally thankful for knowing all of you...