(From Ginny - "Ten years ago, I wrote this note to a Canadian friend who checked in with me the day after 9/11/01.")
Since my godson Colin wants to be an astronaut, in late August his mom and I took him to the planetarium. Afterwards I thought that Colin would like to be on the highest point in the city, so we headed to the World Trade Center. There we met so many nice employees. While waiting in line, Iyala, a petite, young Hispanic woman teased Colin so sweetly. As we ate ice cream, Joe, who was sweeping the floor, commented to Colin that he was lucky to be there with such pretty ladies. Another rather hip looking guy, gave Colin a high five as we went up the escalator to the outer observation deck. At one point we spoke at length with a young woman, really a teenager, who was locking the gate on the helipad.
Today I keep wondering about all of them. We spent the next couple of hours between the two levels of the observation deck. It was so idyllic, as we sat enjoying the balmy breeze and the late afternoon sun with the Statue of Liberty shinning in the harbor below. Meanwhile, Colin spent the time looking out from each corner of the deck. It seemed as if he was trying to memorize it all. Little did I know!
When we returned to the plaza, a band was playing Salsa music. I grabbed Colin's hand and we started dancing. Soon others were dancing. I was happy to know that perhaps the sight of the two of us dancing inspired others. Next we joined his mom at the fountain commemorating the 1993 bombing. It was a black circular disk with a globe representing the world on top. The water flowed out from the center of the disk to the edges falling into a thin pool around the base. Many children were trying to stop the water from flowing over the edge.
Looking around at the parents and grandparents resting on the stone benches around the fountain, I was so struck by our commonality. Whatever our race, ethnicity, creed, nationality or age, we had all brought our children to the WTC and were allowing them the freedom to play together under our loving eyes. It truly was a perfect summer day. I was grateful and at peace. I felt such a sense of goodness - I thanked God for His presence in the world as I sat there that day.
At the end of the day, a seemingly endless stream of people poured out of the towers. It reminded me of a moment earlier in the day at the planetarium. There is a walk that shows you exactly where everything is in relation to the universe - ten to the tenth power. All the zeros were starting to short me out. When I got to the one that says "this is you", I put in words what I thought they were telling me: "In essence, we are a speck within a speck, within a speck, within a speck, within a speck, within a speck!"
Now as I gazed around, I realized there was a different way to read this. With great joy in my heart, I turned to Jean and Colin and said " We may all be specks in the universe, but the amazing grace is that God knows each one of us by name and loves each of us as if we were the only one!'
- by Ginny Blasi (CLEM 2010)
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