9/11/02

 "I've been in that building." My wife's words were the first, and only, ones that I remember from that morning a year ago Sept. 11, as we gaped, wide-eyed, at the surreal spectacle on the screen. And they still echo in my mind when I recall that day. But the first anniversary of 9-11 has not given me enough time to sort things out and put them in perspective. Pearl Harbor was probably much the same way, as a defining hour only makes sense against the backdrop of time. So, be that as it may, I won't try to figure it out, at least not now. I will, however, continue to mourn for the many dead and injured, and wonder, " For what reason?" And I'll do my best to resist hating Islamists for their Medieval theological perception of the Universe. Hatred, after all, is poison to the heart, and that's what they suffer from! For myself, all you need is love, as the poet Lennon once said.

     My wife and I had a baby girl on August 21, which, inadvertently, puts her into a specific sociological classification referred to as "Post 9-11 Babies." Whether as a result of patriotism or beer, we have a beautiful little bundle with chipmunk cheeks and big brown eyes to divert us from the rude intrusions of reality. And man, do I need it. We all do. Thank you to everyone who wished us well. You'll always be in my thoughts...