When I think back to September 11, 2001, I immediately think of where I was. I think of how beautiful of a day it was. I recall sitting in my 2nd period World Religions class, laughing with other classmates, and I try to remember that feeling of lightness – the feeling of unknown tragedy - that everyone in our country may have experienced before the tragic events on September 11th. If you were old enough to remember where you were and what you were doing that day, you remember. It’s almost as if that moment – that day – altered the existence of every American. It’s a memory – a tragic memory – we will never forget. Over the past few months, Jersey Cares has been preparing to mobilize 1,000 volunteers throughout New Jersey to pay tribute to the events of September 11th. While my colleagues and I have discussed ways to make the 10th anniversary more meaningful and possessing greater impact on our New Jersey neighbors and communities, my memories of 2001 turn away from the tragedy of September 11th, but to the less vivid – but somewhat more inspirational - memory of what I did on September 12th.
I remember waking up and calling a friend of mine – school was cancelled – and telling her that I felt that we HAD to go do something. Anything – just help someone. Thousands of people had just died – almost 200 of them within a few miles of my house – and I couldn’t spend another minute watching the horrible images on the TV. My friend came over and whether we thought this was the only way we could contribute, or what seemed to be in the most need to us at the time, my friend and I located the nearest location where we could donate blood and went to donate blood. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate blood, needles, anything related to medicine – but there was that call within me that I needed to do something. I needed to give back. Thousands of people from all over the country traveled to New York City, Shanksville, PA and Arlington, VA to assist with the recovery efforts. Clearly, I was not alone in my feeling of needing to give back. Something had changed within Americans and there seemed to be a common bond between us that inspired us to get up and give back and serve those who had lost so much.
First Lady Michelle Obama recently commented on “the spirit of community and compassion” that emerged following the tragic events on September 11th. This spirit that she refers to was evident from the volunteer firefighters and others who arrived at Ground Zero to help with the clean-up to the candlelight vigils held around the country. Whether it was large or small, Americans came together – not to just mourn as a country – but to honor those who lost their lives and serve our neighbor in the best way possible. As September 11, 2011 rapidly approaches and I look back on the tragedy that took place ten years ago, I keep reminding myself of what my first thought – and the thought of many others - was on September 12, 2001, that while in our country’s darkest hour, we needed to be a light in that darkness.
In the past few months, Americans have been asked the question – what will you do to pay tribute to the 10th anniversary? I don’t see the answer to that question being too different than the feeling many of us felt when we woke up on September 12, 2001. While the darkness has seemed to fade, the 10th anniversary of September 11th provides our nation with the opportunity to let the world know that our “spirit of community and compassion” does not need to be fueled by a national tragedy, but that we will continue to serve our neighbor – whether it’s by mowing the lawn of a senior that lives on your street or spending the day packing care packages for active military members and their families – whenever and wherever there is a need.
- Siobhan Tiernan, Jersey Cares Staff
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