RE: Off topic- Sept 11 2001 - 2002 Long, but not political

[Guest guest]

Hi Linda :-)

 

Well said and heartfelt.

 

I am at a loss for words today about the whole matter . as I remember

those lost - those who I did know (it was my " home town " ) and those who

I didn't know.

 

I guess all I can say is that we got kicked in the groin, but we got up

and now we have our cups on Hopefully from the ashes of tragedy will

rise a Phoenix - a better world for us and the generations of tomorrow.

 

*Hugs and Smiles to all!*

 

Chris (list mom)

 

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

 

 

Lynda Sorenson [lynda]

Wednesday, September 11, 2002 10:33 AM

aromatherapy list

Off topic- Sept 11 2001 - 2002 Long, but not

political

 

I know we each have our story to tell about how this last year has

changed us, and maybe this is the place to tell them, and maybe it

isn't. It has taught me a lot about myself, some of which I am proud

of, and some of which I am not. It has made me re-arrange my

priorities.

 

Many thanks to all those around the world who have given us sympathy and

 

support over last year's tragedy. I have never been one to think our

country's policies were always without fault or blame, but we have

gotten so used to people from other places bashing Americans that it was

 

truly touching to read your messages.

 

I am not planning to watch any of the special programs this week about

that day. It isn't something I am going to forget, and I don't need a

reminder. But I find this morning that the messages here so far make me

 

want to say all this.

 

Graham and I were married last year on Sept 7th, a Friday. I think of

that weekend as being an idyllic, innocent 'before.' We spent the

weekend in the Sedona area which is so incredibly peaceful, beautiful

and moving. On the Saturday we took the train up through the Verde

Canyon, and saw eagles six times during our trip, something we were told

 

is very rare at this time of year. There was an older Slavic couple on

the train, and a young Japanese couple. The Slavic man kept making

comments to Graham and I in the hearing of the Japanese about WWII and

the horrible Japanese this and the horrible Japanese that... I was

quite mortified that he chose to direct his comments to us, as though we

 

agreed with what he was saying. Obviously he had had experiences that

had shaped him in that way, but I felt that this young couple, not even

alive during the war, were certainly not deserving of this treatment and

 

prejudice. I have always been horrified and ashamed of how our

government treated the Japanese during that war, rounding up and

imprisoning them. How could we as Americans have done that, lump a

whole group of people together as the same and restrict their freedom?

A few short days after, and I could understand all too well how it

could have happened. Wrong still, yes, but - to my shame -

understandable.

 

Instead of staying in Prescott as we had planned on Monday nite, we

decided to drive straight through and come back to Tucson, and sleep in

our own bed again. Tuesday was a planned day off for me, to unpack, do

laundry, straighten up the house, read email and mail, etc. We got up

late Tuesday morning, and as every morning, turned on the computer on

the way to the bathroom. Our home page is CNN, and my morning routine

is to read the news and then go water the garden while the emails

download, but that morning for some reason we read emails first. And

saw Mynou's plea to us all for prayers. We though something had

happened in Mynou's family, but as we read on through the posts we

realized that no, something horrific had happened, and turned on the tv.

 

It actually took me a few moments to realize that someone had done this

on purpose, it wasn't an accident. The idea just seemed so impossible.

I grew up on the Hudson, and I love that river in a way that is almost

religious, almost fanatical. They used MY river to guide them to

Manhattan.

 

My mother's second cousin's husband was the maitre d' at the restaurant

on top of the tower, they have two small children. My nephew lives and

works in Manhattan and it was a few hours before we knew for certain

that he was okay. No planes flew, schools and businesses were closed.

 

We spent every waking, non-working moment of the next week watching the

news programs. Until one night they started evacuating parts of

Manhattan because they thought the Empire State Building was going to be

 

hit next. That was when I decided I couldn't watch any more and stay

sane.

 

The past year, while being the happiest of my life, has seen me shed a

lot of tears. It has made me realize that my stubbornness - something I

 

always attributed to being a mix of Ukrainian, Irish and Iroquois - is

actually due to my being an American. Yes, they succeeded in changing

us, but they didn't break us. It has made me ashamed of myself for

looking at an Arabic man in the mall and wondering... knowing that at

least one of the terrorists had lived and trained here in Tucson. (One

of my clients was an airline pilot for many years, and now is a flight

instructor. She was approached by two of the terrorists looking for

flight training. Not only did she turn them down, but she also

surreptitiously photographed them and reported them to the FBI. Which

finally contacted her AFTER Sept 11th.) It has made me say, " To hell

with your dour predictions about how this will affect our economy, I am

going to start a business anyway! " because I think it is little people

like me who will stop the economy from going down further and further.

It has made me grateful for every moment, and to have that true

survivor's gratitude that it wasn't me. It wasn't anyone I loved. It

has made me love life even more, and made me even more patriotic.

 

I went out this morning and planted new things in our garden and hung

the flag again. That to me is the way to say that our lives go on,

while we still remember those for whom it does not.

 

Thanks-

Lynda

 

--

Lynda Sorenson

http://www.Luna-Aromatics.com