Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Passed by Ground Zero Today

... as I have countless times in the past decade on my way to an administrative hearing half a dozen blocks north of that location. Parked at the Battery Garage, and took a leisurely walk up to the former site of the Towers. Amazing how ten years later still so much nothing there.

It was a beautiful day and I was early so I took a minute to peak in at a favorite sports bar at the south side of the void in the ground and then grabbed a hot dog from a street vendor. Normally I would just keep buzzing uptown but after the hurricane drama and with the nice weather people were chatty and NYC seemed to be wearing its more welcoming personality. AS got in the way as I tried poorly to gaze skyward at the surrounding skyline.

Then I looked at the spectrum of people ambling around some in wonderment, some with tourist curiousity and some as I usually do with their heads lost in work and not even noticing the world they are walking through. The diversity of the folks in the area was striking.

MAybe its the innocence of my girls questions about random acts of violence but predominantly its the sentiments of having my own body ripped asunder from bits of my spirit dealing with AS for so many decades, I can't for the life of me fathom people raging against people. I'm not naive or perhaps with age I am growing so, but AS and time seem only to make me less apt or able to understand human cruelty.

I left that spot and walked past Wall Street and the stock exhcange and popped into my hearing where folks raged over NYC levying fines against regular folks and the clerks were derisive and overworked and the litigants hostile but civil and I hopefully was extra courteous on that silly little stage realizing how quickly frustrations blossom into lunacy. I try never to thank AS but maybe its working to change me a bit.

Thank you for a beautiful post Steve.

Steve,

My husband has been to New York many times, me only once...I think what has been one of the hardest things for me personally was we went to the top of the twin towers..I remember freaking out because there were window washers on the other building and I already have a huge height fear..I remember looking down and looking around and thinking we were so high what if the building fell...so the day it happened always takes me back to that day and what all of those precious people must have went thru...

I know it can't possibly be the same for someone who New York is their home and their heart but it devestated me then and it still does to this day, even with the 10th anniversary coming up I still can not think or speak about it without tearing up or just plain bawling...here on the National Geographic channel they have already started putting on specials since the 10th anniversary is near..Bill and I watched hours last night and I cried all the way thru.

How can anyone reconcile in their mind the events of that day..the loss of life in the towers, the pentagon, and the heroes of Flight 93...

I may be wrong but I told Bill that that day I believe changed the course of the states history and we as Americans will never be the same...

One last thing...even now 10 years later we are still losing our loved ones, the responders the brave, brave men and woman that spent days, months making sure that no stone was left unturned many have since died and are sick due to the fumes they breathed while being there. Last I heard they have been locked out of the settlements of that day. If there is anything we can do as Americans we need to do it to see that these brave men and woman are cared for for their selfless acts of bravery.

Not trying to hijack your post...Im just so passionate about this issue, thank you for posting it.

Hugs!

Dear Steve, I imagine that your perspective would be as enlightened as it is now, even if you thought AS stood for Apple Spongecake and never knew it's wrath. (Not meaning the wrath of a spongecake!)

I will never understand human cruelty either, and so grateful that I can't fathom it.

I have probably mentioned before, my brother had to run away from one of the falling towers that day, covered in dust from head to toe. He had been teaching in a building nearby, that was evacuated like so many. He knew he was fine but didn't realize our family was desperate, waiting to hear from him - had no idea that the whole world was watching. He walked up to the theatre district, back to his hotel and it wasn't until he phoned his wife and heard the sound of her voice that the magnitude of it suddenly struck him, and he started to cry, while telling her he was okay. She hardly heard a word he said over the cheering of her coworkers, who were all anxiously waiting along with her for his call.

Silly maybe, but I saved the email I'd written him that morning... "We are all wondering if you are safe - are you Okay????"

So glad you are enjoying a beautiful day in New York City today Steve!
hugs,
mig

Thanks. Two of my sons and my Father are headed to New York today. They are going to look at ground 0 plus tour the Intrepid with my father who served on the air craft carrier durring WW11. I think they are also going to watch a little tennis.

It does...................doesn't it!!!


Oh have I been labbouring beneath a weighty mis-apprehension then........!

As for mans propensity for grimness to his/her fellow, well I seem to remember reading somewhere that there are only 3 species on earth that kill for gain (excluding dinner), ther are Man -Ants and I can never remember the other, perhaps it was a rampant spongecake...!


Fascinating thoughts Steve, thank you.

Your passion is wonderful.

Its just the 9/11 tragedy that the day had me reflecting on, it was the reactive nature of too many folks at least where I live. It becomes reflexive and its easy to fall into the trap yourself.

People just seem to ready to be angry (at least aroudn here) for any reason. Its easy to respond in kind but makes no sense.

Sledghammers and paint brushes thing. Anyone can swing a sledgehammer to bust things up to make a scene. ALl you get in the end is a mess for everybody. It takes some patience vision and effort to patch things up and make them new again swinging something more docile like a paint brush.

Thanks for the kind word but can something retain beauty without reference to a dicey par four conquered?

Hey Mig,

Apple Spongecake, eh. I suspect all in all AS's wrath has not wounded me mcuh worse than a head on hit from a hurled Apple Spongecake. It just reshaped me a bit and reformed me threw in a bit of nostalgia for the notion of wha tcould have been but then put me about the business of what will and has been.

The will nad has been have been and seem to be pretty doggone good.


Didn't recall the story of your brother, but I can understand the inclination to keep that email. Its good not to let go of something that ties you to moments that crystalize the importance of peopel vs. tings in our lives.

BTW: What was your brother there to teach?

Smed, If they are here this week weather is great. US Open tennis in early rounds is a great watch because the crowds are small and you can see some great tennis on the back courts.