boon's log 3708.04: 7th Anniversary
It was 11:00PM Penang time when I logged into an audio conference meeting with my US Counterparts. I still remembered vividly, DA (one of my counterparts) had called in from home that early Tuesday morning, Pacific Standard Time. About half way through the meeting, we could hear his wife shout from the kitchen and we asked what had happened... and he told us what, until today still bring shivers to the bone - "My wife just told me that a commercial airline has slammed right into one of the World Trade Center Towers..."
While the people in NYC, at what is known now as Ground Zero, were running for their lives, I almost felt as if the rest of the world came to a standstill... Terrorism in broad day light, in one of the largest cities in the world, in the city that never sleeps....
All the attendees in my meeting were horrified. We quickly ended the meeting and dashed home. I remembered calling IL at home telling her the horrific story - who immediately called my sister-in-law to make sure that she was okay (who by the way was MILES away from New York - in Tulsa). But well, it was just precautionary... but the family soon discovered that the phonelines into the United States were jammed! Well, we soon got to her and confirmed that she was alright.
The rest of the night were pretty much spent glued to the telly, tuned to the CNN channel.
And it's been 7 years past now. How time flies. And how most people around the world may have easily forgotten about the horrific incident on that dreadful Tuesday morning. There is a sense of solemn-ness, being here in the US as this nation remembers 9/11. Flags flown at half mast, TV News Channels observing a few minutes of silence, The NYSE stops and observes the same minutes of silence. The newspapers' headlines filled with the nation's flag and pictures of flowers and filed-pictures of the incident, with columns of interviews with the survivors and familes of the victims. Well, being the nation under attack - I guess it is quite tough to just totally forget what happened 7 years ago.
I guess the most (or the best) that we can do (no matter what faith background you may come from) is to utter s short prayer of peace and healing for those who have survived and those whose loved ones perished in this inhuman attack 7 years ago as we remember September 11...
boon out...
posted by Boon @ 14:59
5 Comments:
Hey, hope all's well with you... My office is just above Ground Zero and we look into it every single day but every anniversary we go through the depressing reminders throughout the building: the 4 times that morning when aircrafts slam into the Towers and when they fell. And every year we get mad at people who flock down here to just to look or want to be a part of it. Most of us choose to wear black and while others stay home. And this year we shut off the lobby TV coverage all together. Not sure what that says but some who were in it wishes to forget it - if only on the most painful day itself.
We were playing basketball at Intel when our friend's gf called to tell him that WTC was bombed. We didn't think it was too significant, but little did we know it was gonna change the world. Glad that you're ok though. Tried frantically to get a hold of u and was relieved when u replied :) So long ago, yet still fresh in our memories.
Makes you wonder what goes thru their minds when they planned such attacks. Well, pls pray for us here. Today is a big day for us here. Hopefully there will be no riots or repeat of the May 13 incident.
Looks like it will (if not yet) become another popular memorial tourist attraction - just like the USS Arizona Memorial, where people would pay to take cruises to the memorial ontop of the Arizona Wreck... And i am not surprised that someone might even make a romantic flick out of it somehow. Anyways, I guess it is really up to each individual how they want to remember or lament over the incident. Many time I just think that the media are just overdoing it by repeating it over and over again (i.e. CNN) - which is why I guess they turned off the TV at the lobby - imagine if you were the security working at the lobby...
But YEAH, Lily, we ARE glad that you are okay and safe. Weren't you the one that was on the other side of Manhattan when it all happened?
WH: Yeah, indeed some "major changes" are about to happen in Msia. We've been glued to the web (i.e. Malaysiakini.com) since a couple of weeks ago - eversince the entire political saga started to heat up. Can't wait to see what becomes of this entire political episode... As what they say, it does not matter if it is 916, 1016 or 1216... as long as the change is coming (but don't take too long though... :P)
Well false alarm......guess we might have to wait till 1016, but hopefully not another 4 yrs :) glad to see u're having loads of fun there. Come back and meet 21yrs old Glen. I'll save some for u :D
Yeah... slight disappointment there, but I guess it is kinda expected. But like you said - really hope it will not take 4 years to materialize - by that time, people may have chagned their minds...
And yeah!, looking forward to meet your 21yrs old Glen... :)
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