There are too many of us who lost – wait, that is not the right word, had acquaintances , colleagues, family, friends killed in the Twin Towers, the US Pentagon, or the field in Pennsylvania to let this day ever pass for me without thought, reflection and an overwhelming feeling of sadness. It wasn’t just those on the planes, 265 of them, or those in the Twin Towers, 2606, The Pentagon , 125. It was also the 343 firefighters and 72 law enforcement officers. All told, more than 90 countries had one or more citizen killed. None of this comes remotely near the cost in human lives and suffering over the long term in addition to the acute attack.
I still appreciate Blue Man’s Group’ Exhibit 13 video which moved from their own site to YouTube close to a decade ago.
For the first decade or so, civilian organizations, military organizations, governmental units, many others held memorials. Today? It seems that 23 years ago nothing happened. In the US, a political debate holds more important than lives lost which need to be remembered. Millions of children have been born, grown up and are now young adults with no concept of how the world used to be. The dividing line is as stark for me and those with whom I served with in that time and the fall of the Berlin Wall. Worse because of the lives lost then and in the following days, months, and years.
Reflection on the past for me today ranks higher than discussing our stop today in Narsaq. I had a chance to talk to the young Danish woman working here from May-Sept as group and tour organizer as well as walk around the town with more pictures of icebergs…
