Do I Talk About It Enough?

First, it reminds me of my mortality and how much older I am now than I was then.

It then makes me think about all of the things that have happened to me in the last 25 years, and how much life has transpired for me and those I love during that period of time. And how much life those people who were lost on that horrible day have missed.

As I was thinking about this, I started listening to the names that were read at the memorials and, perhaps even more importantly, the comments from their families. There was a mixture of some family members who were alive and lost loved ones that day, transposed against others who were not even born then and have only heard stories.

And that makes me think about whether I talk about it enough.

Do I talk about it enough so that people can remember the chaos and the uncertainty of that day? That it wasn't as clear-cut as everyone seems to try to make things today? That we didn't all realize exactly what was going on, and even after the two towers had fallen, we still didn't really know what was coming for the rest of the day?

Do I talk about it enough so they understand how rare and unique and special the camaraderie was that developed amongst those of us in lower Manhattan that day? Those of us who were trying to figure out things together, who were running together, and who were walking across the bridge together?

Do I share enough so that they understand the sense of loss you can have even if you don't have anyone personal who died that day? Just being around, smelling the smells, seeing the dust, and remembering the images?

Do I talk about it enough so that they understand how some people did survive? That there are ways you can escape travesties like this? And that when something starts to go on around them, it's important that they find a way to communicate with their family as soon as possible, so that their family isn't sitting terrified, wondering if they're okay?

Do I talk about it in a way that acknowledges there is evil in the world and there are people who seek to harm others, and yet there's also light in the world, and the light needs to be magnified and amplified to counter the darkness?

Hate can't stop hate. Only love can stop hate.

Everyone has a different feeling about September 11th, and none are right or wrong. They are influenced by where they were, their proximity to Ground Zero, and whether they witnessed it firsthand or saw it on the television.

It's important to respect everyone's different perspective, including those like me who want to remember and want to talk about it effectively for all of the above reasons, but who also do not necessarily want to talk about it randomly with people who weren't there with me or who don't really understand who I am as a person.

For me, it's not a casual memory. It's an important memory.