I Only Wish I Could

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This photo was taken on September 19th, 2001. This is what it looked like for several weeks afterwards. All over Jersey City were flyers taped to every telephone pole, sign post, newspaper vending machine, bus stop shelter, and mailbox with photos of missing people, most of whom were never found, lost at the bottom of that glowing pile of rubble. Former co-workers who were 66 floors high were in there too. So many of us didn't sleep for weeks, haunted by those ghosts and a skyline that was suddenly unfamiliar.

On this day every year all over the internet I see "Never Forget" along with the horrifying images of the buildings up in smoke. I think about what a ridiculous sentiment that is.

Never Forget.

I understand that everyone means well, but how could I possibly forget? How could anyone? I wish I could. I've been trying to forget for 19 years now. We will never be free from this for the remainder of our lifetimes. 

So, thanks social media for trying to re-open the wound, but rest assured the trauma feels as fresh today as it did then, even without the reminder.

Maybe next year I won't get so bent out of shape about it. Yes, there's always next year.

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