Remembering 911

I remembered receiving the call from my parents while Sis and I were driving home from school. The news was a simple yet eerie one - 2 planes had crashed into New York's World Trade Centre and no one knew why. We rushed home and switched on the news to see endless replay of the second plane crashing into the tower and images of people running around. I remembered feeling for the first time that time had stood still and that we must be all living in a big nightmare because it couldn't be true. Then I remembered running to the photo drawer and pulling out a photo that my parents took of Sis and me on top of the World Trade Centre a year ago, because Mom had won first class tickets to New York on CX and my parents took us and Grandma along for the trip. I wouldn't exactly call it a close brush with death, since we were there one year ago, but I certainly sensed a chilly feeling of that-could-have-been-us.

The incident still haunts me after 10 years, even though I don't personally know of anyone who has been affected by this horrible event. Reading articles on this, especially as we come nearer to its 10th anniversary, reminds me once again how fragile life is and anything can happen anytime. Crap, this week I read a report of a man who died from choking on his inflight meal on Jetstar. Earlier this evening, I watched a documentary about a man who hung himself as he was too stressed over his work (he couldn't sleep properly cos he was worried about wrong calculations at work.) And then the other day in Taiwan, while we were heading back from Jiufen, we saw an accident between a lorry and a motorcyclist (Mom saw blood oozing out from the helmet of the limp rider and he/she probably is a goner). All these just tell me again and again and again, to cherish those who are still alive, not get pissed over petty things and prioritise my attention on things that matter more, like friends and family.

One decade on, the victims' families are still coping with their losses. I am pretty sure it would take a long, long time to fill up the void feeling. One never forgets, especially when lives are taken away in such a sudden, shocking manner.On this coming 10th anniversary of 911, I want to extend a hand of comfort to those who are still mourning and finding it hard to come to terms with their tragic loss.