Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh, so mellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When grass was green and grain was yellow.
“Try to Remember,” from The Fantasticks.
Time passes. I find myself disliking the mantra “Never Forget,” because I’m more concerned about what we learned from remembering. If September 11, 2001, was a nightmare, we somehow came together on September 12, 2001, if my memory isn’t so hazy to recall the attempts to help each other.
I’m not sure if we learned our lessons from September 11, 2001. I don’t even think that we learned our lessons from the Covid pandemic. I don’t think that we have done a great job of working together and doing better, and being resilient. I want all of that, but… I guess reality is the real teacher. Maybe my mood has been affected by the presidential election year, or life in general.
23 years ago, I was trying to figure out how to make any use of my final year in law school, and then that Tuesday happened, the horrors marring the perfect blue sky. I didn’t imagine the entirely different landscape that we’ve had since. I never imagined that all the crises and calamities we’d be through.
To this day, I still feel a little creeped out by a perfect blue sky.
On a nice day from the F train station in my neighborhood, I can see the top of One World Trade Center, and it can still feel a little awkward to me. 23 years feels surreal, even if I can feel the passage of time.
In 2021, FC shared this over on Facebook, so I’m passing it along again: “Wake Me Up When September Ends” – Green Day (Cover by First to Eleven):
See here for last year’s post. I’m hoping that I’ll get to the Brooklyn Promenade at some point today. I wish you all a peaceful and thoughtful day. Thanks again for being here. — ssw15