I remember that wretched day. Never have I ever felt so weak and hopeless. He was gone.
It has been a few months since September 11th, but I will never be able to erase the vivid pain that still haunts me. I had been in town running a few errands when the next thing I knew, a plane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers. In that instant my heart sank. It was only two months ago that my family had moved from India to New York. My husband had finally gotten a job working in World Trade Center 1 that could support our family of five. As I watched the plane strike the building, I felt paralyzed. My thoughts immediately went to my husband. How could this be happening? Ashes poured out everywhere and the air was thick with smoke and debris. All that I smelled was charred rubble and decaying flesh. I immediately called my husband. “I’m stuck in this building”, he said. “There’s lots of smoke and I need you to know that I love you always. Make sure you tell the kids that daddy loves them.” Everything was falling apart so fast and I was so distraught in the moment that I could barely breathe. “I love you” I cried through the phone. “I’m sorry for getting upset at you this morning. If only I could take it all back and just have you here with me.” I couldn’t contain myself. I cried hysterically and a rush of pain filled within me. “It’s okay, just know that I love you no matter what happens” he said. And with that, the line went dead. That night, the most heart wrenching feeling came when I had to tell my three sons, who were only young innocent kids, that their father was dead.
Two months have past and I can’t even begin to describe how drastically my life has changed. Not a day goes by without me thinking about my husband and those last few seconds that I heard his voice. The day after the attack, I was overwhelmed and surprised with loving support from not only family and friends, but also my neighbors. I never thought that this seemingly rough New York neighborhood could be such a comfort even while they themselves were also experiencing the loss that had shocked us all. I even had a young family whom I had never met come up to my door and hand me a tray of homemade goods as they expressed their condolences. It has been hard to adjust to the changes of being a widow and a single mother of three, but I have found strength from the community. I have joined family groups that are going through the same loss, and together we are able to help each other cope with the life changes we face. I also joined an organization that helps raise money for those who had lived next to the Towers and had lost everything through the ashes and many robberies. With the recent releases of the pictures that captivated the many heros of 9/11, my heart was warmed by the sight of these images that reflected how selfless hundreds of people were not only on that day, but even now during the aftermath. Through some of these pictures, it was evident that the heroes who died that day were proudly protecting the liberty, freedom, and democracy that America represents. Amidst all the mourning, our New York community felt the loving support of the country. What kept us striving to live past this terrible event was the hope that we could make something greater out of it.
Before moving to America, I had previously thought it to be merely a country full of diverse people. Only now do I realize that it is more than just a place to live. 9/11 has showed me what makes America such a unique country and qualitatively different than other countries. With new organizations forming, I have seen how those struggling with survivors guilt are able to find peace. I am greatly encouraged and lifted up after seeing how not only the New York community has come together, but also how America as a whole has been there for us during this time. 9/11 has reflected how the US community has evolved from simply being an average working community concentrated on their own interests, to a place that has come together to move past the tragic event. It is not something you ever get over, but the fact that the community is willing to help each other heal from this devastating day and not allow these traumatic events to define their destiny truly reflects a sense of America’s exceptionalism.
Stories and essays inspired by Benjamin Franklin's "The Way To Wealth"
Wow. Great story. While reading, I completely forgot who had written it, and truly believed in an Indian mother of five pouring her heart and her sorrows into this piece on the evolution of the U.S. following 9/11. I could see the smoke and the debris, the mother crying on the phone, clinging to the dying words of her husband. Most importantly, I could see the community grow like a green seedling out of the ashes of the terrors of the past, reaching out to others in search of peace, protection, and hope for the future.
ReplyDeleteWow. Honestly, your post evoked a lot of emotion for me. At the end of the first paragraph, I truly felt a lot of sympathy for the Indian mother. I agree with Brian on your exemplary use of imagery. I thought it was really cool how you tied in 9/11 into the prompt, it was a really creative way to do it. How do you think 9/11 reflected on the rest of the world? Did other nations still viewed America as a "city on a hill", or do you think they were doubtful and saw America as the vulnerable, young country it had been merely 200 years back?
ReplyDeleteKristen, you chose a difficult topic, and I was a little worried when I read your title. But when reading your story, it felt so real. Everyone has a story of loss from 9/11 but I felt that you had a fresh preceptive that I hadn't seen before. Choosing a person who was new to america and then instead of turning bitter she sees the good that the US has to offer. What inspired this story?
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I was curious about was, why was this women righting this, is it a letter to a love one or a newspaper article? Why has she chosen to share this? I think if you clarify this it will give your story an extra something that could really enhance the reality of it.
This was really well done. I like how you chose such a tough topic to write about, and wrote about it really well. I want to know if there is anything that is true about your life that was part of this story. I also want to know hoe the events of 9/11 affected you personally. I only had a few ideas about your story. I think it would be really interesting if the story started with the attack on the twin towers, or the statement of how the narrator had thought that life in American would be paradise, followed by the 9/11 scene. You also started two paragraphs in a row with a few or two months. It just seemed a little redundant. I really liked it and the way that you portrayed it!
ReplyDeleteKristen, I thought thi story was really well written and I especially liked how you used such a testing event in America's history to set the stage. 9/11 really challenged the strength of America and its people, and it remains a symbol of our cool strength in such a terrible crisis. Your usage of emotion was also really powerful in this essay, I felt moved by the narrator. But to add to your essay, you could have explored the idea of why America has evolved to be such a great community or why these heros really represent the classic American ideals. You just repeat over and over that America has overcome this incredibly horrifying event, but what makes America so different that we can overcome it? What is that "special something that makes America so exceptional? Otherwise, excellent work.
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