The Tribute in Light, New York City
25 Years Ago This Week
September, 2001 was a tumultuous month for my family. We’d sold our Orange County condo, the only home our children had ever known, and on Labor Day moved into a rented townhouse in Burbank, California. The next day I would begin teaching filmmaking at the L.A. Film Studies Center, in the shadow of the iconic Warner Brothers water tower.
The heart of the school was the Media Room with its curtain-cloth couches and theater-sized TV. It was there that the students coffeed each morning. The screen was always on, usually playing someone’s favorite movie. But for some reason, when I walked in on September 11th it was fixed on the World Trade Center in New York. A newscaster was recapping the tragic airliner “accident” that had just occurred. But then, as we watched, unable to process what we were seeing, a second jet crashed into the other tower. And like a special effect from one of the movies we studied, the Twin Towers fell.
Four Days Later…
…my wife and I celebrated our anniversary at a restaurant overlooking the smoggy bedspread of the San Fernando Valley. In another four days, her father would pass away suddenly and unexpectedly.
Nothing seemed certain anymore. Before 9/11 we’d fallen, as people always do, into merely living. But 9/11 reminded us, as death always does, that life must not be taken for granted; thus, by 9/12…
We were remembering what life was for again.
And So…
…while it’s true that we mustn’t forget 9/11, it’s also true that we mustn’t live there. 9/11 was about death. 9/12 is about life. To live in 9/11 is to honor the killers who carved the date into our hearts, to focus, like them, on revenge and on eliminating “all of our enemies.” But enemies can never be completely eliminated because the very act of eliminating enemies always creates new ones. Always. It’s a hideously efficient birthing process.
Twenty-five years later, our world is rife with armed assaults and wars fueled by ideological hatred. But now, just as then, we must strive to be the offspring of 9/12, not 9/11. To be about life, not death…
And to remember what life is for again.
“I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”
~Deuteronomy 30:19
This.
“But now, just as then, we must strive to be the offspring of 9/12, not 9/11. To be about life, not death…”
Such a helpful response to the memories of a very heavy anniversary. Thank you, Mitch.
My privilege, Cindie.
This line…”while it’s true that we mustn’t forget 9/11, it’s also true that we mustn’t live there. 9/11 was about death. 9/12 is about life.” 9/12 was also about unity. I pray that this year we remember the unity that rose from the ashes.
Me too, Jennifer. 🧡
I was teaching a European History class in New Providence NJ at thatinto the rem hour and just happend to asked the students about an issue in Euirope for and turned on the morning news to see the second plane slam into the remaining tower of the World Trade center. None of us could beleive what we saw. We were glued to the station as the tower collapsed and then our TV went black as our administration cut all television connections throughout our building so that our district superintendet could control what news went to the students. There were only 18 students that witnessed this and this was early in the developmnet of cellphone use in schools, so the superintendent lied to the students.
Unfortunately, I cannot celebrate this day in any way.
I love that – to be the offspring of 9-12 and not of 9-11.
🧡
Yes, we all remember, where we were at that moment… my husband and I were in Akaba. We were getting ready for dinner, and I saw from the bathroom that my husband watched TV, where two airplanes kept on flying into the towers… I asked my husband to please switch off this Hollywood film, and he answered, it is not a film, it is reality. What a shock. We had just rented a car to drive to the city of Petra the next day – it was my wish of a lifetime, to see “my” city Petra. We drove to Petra on 9/12, while most other tourists immediately left the country… and we continued our tour in Jordan and in Syria… we were often alone in the hotels and restaurants and at the wonderful places we visited.
Such a uniquely bittersweet memory, Petra.
If we can take anything from it, it is the undeniable compassion and unity that brought us all together.
I agree, Ezekiel, especially since that compassion and unity are in such short supply these days.
That all happened in my hometown, NYC, but at the time I was already living in Latvia. I was very shocked by this because if I had been in NYC, I would have worked my last job just two blocks away, and a lot of the marine insurance compnies I dealt with had moved into the towers. So sad and always good to remember,
That’s a disturbing “what if,” Rasma. And how heartwrenching to have known people who were there.
Very enjoyable and deep read Mitch.
Your depiction of the tragic event blossomed from the shadows of tragedy into the light of hope seamlessly.
“To be about life, not death” sums up the necessities of surviving our darkest hours.
Once again and as always, thank you for stimulating my mind.
My privilege, and good to hear from you, Dann.
I remember 9/11/2001 well. My girls were at school in 8th and 12th grade. My husband at the time was an American Airlines captain. He was ready to leave for a trip and walking out the door when I yelled at him to stop. He turned around and we both looked at the TV in disbelief. Immediately announcing the closure of all airports, we didn’t know what he should do.
He decided to go to the airport and was sent home. He was off until the airports reopened.
I drove him to work that first day and the airport was a graveyard. Needless to say we were nervous. There were no bars on the cockpit doors yet. No one really knew what would happen. He flew one passenger with a full crew to Oklahoma City.
For a long time I worried about how safe he’d be, but eventually the fear went away.
Beautifully put Mitch, we must choose life
🧡
I was teaching Introductory Statistics to a group of about 60 uninterested Sociology students at 8:30 that morning. I knew nothing about the happenings in New York until I got back to my office where I was met by several colleagues who told me to turn on my computer and find some news. At my next class, 48 hours later, I encountered 60 or so shell-shocked young people. We live in Canada and in 2001, the USA was a friend, ally, trading partner. These kids in my class didn’t need Statistics that day; they needed a chance to talk about the events they were still processing.
Some were angry, others frightened, nearly all experienced around sadness and confusion. I sat on my desk, shared my own feelings of vulnerability and loss of the innocence with which we all had grown up.
I wish I had had your words then, Mitch.
profound sadness, not around. And there were tears.
🧡
Well stated!
Thank you, Sashi.
A Nightmare I Never Woke Up From
I don’t need to remember it. I have never forgotten it. It still moves me to this day, and it is almost always my companion, constantly reminding me of that inferno and never allowing me to forget it.
I was on my way home from work. After such a long and exhausting day, I was extremely tired and hardly awake anymore. Yet I had the feeling that there was an unusual sense of unrest in the streets. People were everywhere, talking to one another. Something seemed to be in the air, although at the time I had no idea what had happened.
When I got home, I took a beer from the refrigerator, sat down on my sofa, and turned on the television.
Then I saw those images.
My first thought was simply: “What kind of movie is this? What is this movie?”
But it wasn’t a movie.
It was the truth.
It was a nightmare that, to this day, I have never truly woken up from.
Those images, those events — they have burned themselves deeply into my memory. And even after all these years, the pain has never simply disappeared. Sometimes it is quiet. Sometimes it comes back with overwhelming force. But it is always there.
It hurts. It hurts so much that, to this day, I think about the people who became victims of this unimaginable tragedy, and about all those who lost someone they loved and have had to live with a void in their lives that can never truly be filled again.
I think about every single person whose life was changed forever that day.
The victims.
The families and loved ones left behind.
The people who tried to help.
And everyone who will never be able to erase those images from their minds.
For me, it was never simply an event that eventually came to an end.
It is something that remained.
A piece of memory. A piece of pain — and a companion that still reminds me to this day that this nightmare truly happened.
🙏
Now choose life!
Sending love and sympathies from the UK to all who were affected by the terrible events of 9/11. I was at home with my eldest son, who turned 4 two days before, and my elderly aunt who was staying with us. We heard about the first plane on the radio and, as the news reports came in thick and fast, we went upstairs to watch the unfolding events on a small portable TV as we didn’t keep one downstairs. As the plane hit the 2nd tower, I said to my son, “Remember this day. It’s the day the world changed.” He doesn’t of course, as he was too little. I will never understand how anyone could get such joy and satisfaction from causing such pain and devastation to other human beings. As you said Mitch, the focus must be on life, because death can never win. It’s already been defeated. ❤️
Amen, Lynn.
Mitch, this is poignant and powerful. I found myself reading it slowly because so much of it stayed with me, especially, “9/11 was about death. 9/12 is about life.”
We can remember the tragedy without choosing to live there. We can honor those we lost by choosing life, choosing love, choosing peace, and choosing to keep moving forward.
I especially appreciate your reminder that we are called to be the offspring of 9/12, not 9/11. What a beautiful way to put it.
Thank you for sharing this personal reflection and for reminding us that even after the darkest days, there is still a choice before us: life.
My privilege, Mary.
I wasn’t going to read anyone’s 9/11 post. But it’s God’s Mitch, you know? I’m glad I risked it.🌷
🧡
💕
So sad…I remember exactly where I was …a sophomore in college. Every class was cancelled that day. Still doesn’t seem real. I continually pray for the families of the victims and everyone that has been affected / affected in some way. God bless America. 🇺🇸 And, thanks for writing such a post…I’m sure it wasn’t easy.
My privilege, Nikki.
Prayers for the loss of your wife’s father as well. 🙏🏾
When i talk to kids at work tmr, I will be the only person in my department who was alive when it happened. To them its just something in the history books, but for us, no matter where in the world we were, it was traumatic.
I love your message of striving to be the offspring of 9/12… will incorporate that in my brief talk tmr.
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On top of Mount Washington here in NH when the clouds parts we will have our own 911 twin lights on display just look up from anywhere within a distance of just 135 mile radius and you too can see them. Keeping prayers for all of those who lost their loved ones and friends on that day. <3
Amen, Eunice.
9/12!
September feels like the end and the beginning of something, somewhere.
Well said!
Thank you, Rosie.
Amen Brother
You have such a beautiful way of sharing how this tragedy–without adequate words to describe–is also a reminder of choosing life. I’m sorry for all the loss your experienced during those times, Mitch. This anniversaries take us “there”–yet, as you stated, “don’t live there”.
I’ll never forget that day and how it impacted little me so far away–yet, as a young principal with 550 elementary kids and shocked and terrified parents–the wife of someone who worked at the Pentagon taught in the building. More than a dozen pilots associated with kids or teachers. And personal loss that changed the trajectory of my life. May the 9/11 generation learn from this and also, recognize the ways our country united. My heart breaks for the victims and survivors of victims whose lives were forever altered.
God bless you, dear friend, and the wisdom from our Heavenly Father you share so beautifully!🙏🏻❤️
🙏🧡
Wise words, Mitch. We must choose life. Not that we don’t grieve over those victims and heroes we’ve lost at the hands of malevolent men, but we also take courage from the fact evil WILL be overcome in the end (Revelation 17:14). As a matter of fact, the evil perpetrated that day WAS overshadowed in the short term by the beautiful heroism we witnessed, the outpouring of generosity, and the upswell of unity and patriotism. Those terrorists did not crush us, as they may have hoped.
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Prayers, now and always.
Yes. 🙏
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Well said, Mitch. We can’t live in fear, we must move forward. When I visited Trinity Church, I was humbled at how people are helpers at heart.
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