With so many students leaving and joining ASL each year, it’s important to find comfort while dealing with transition back into the school year.
Jonathan Novak
On the 18th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, a few members of the editorial board share their thoughts on understanding and processing the event, as well as the importance of reflection.
I wasn’t even born when 9/11 occurred. I have never lived in a pre 9/11 world. A couple of years ago when my mom felt we were old enough, she decided to show my brother and me the new coverage that took place during the events. My mom was home with my baby brother and my dad was at work. They didn’t know what was going on besides the fact that the two buildings were on fire.
I often felt like that when I thought of the event. I knew buildings caught fire, I knew that thousands of people died, but I didn’t really appreciate that. This morning, I watched a video in journalism that showed us the videos of the people covered in debris, their faces fully grey with tears running down their faces. I’m reminded that these were real people; they were people living their everyday lives; they had a family at home expecting an arrival.
When I think this stuff through my mind immediately travels to the land of uncertainty. I start thinking of all the potential “what ifs.” I do my very best to ground myself and remove myself from my own head. It’s easier said than done.
It’s important on days like this to appreciate where we are now. Life can be stressful and things can get hard, but I can’t imagine what it would have been like for the family of the victims just a few days after the tragedy took place. We must do our best to not live in uncertainty and feel blessed to have what we have.
