9/11 - Ten Years Later

Today is the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.  Even though I never saw the Twin Towers, have never been to New York City, and did not have a friend or a relative who died on that day, those tragic events will always weigh heavily on my heart.  I cling to what Alan Autry, who was Fresno's mayor at the time, said on that day at a special service held at People's Church: "Today, we are all New Yorkers."

Last Wednesday, I had the chance to read a reflective essay that Brian Doyle recently wrote for the Patriot Day Ceremony at Madera Community College Center.  He once said at a reading where I met him that he lost three friends that day.  The first thing I ever read of his was an essay on the victims at the World Trade Center titled "Leap," which you can read at this link: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/faith/questions/leap.html

Another great essay that I have taught was Pete Hamill's "Band of Brothers: Faces of Honor," which addresses the firefighters who died on September 11th.  You can read it at this link:
http://www.petehamill.com/nydnews92301.html

Of course, on this blog is a streaming video of my poem, "September 10th."  For me, that poem is bittersweet; while I am proud of the poem I wrote, I am not happy that those horrific attacks served as its inspiration. 

My thoughts and prayers go out to all who lost someone dear to them on that day.