Surely You Cannot Imagine That I Would Forget

It seems that every single web site, blog, and RSS feed today is describing the author's own experiences on 9/11/01 ... and concluding by asking the reader what she remembers about her own 9/11/01 (feminine pronouns utilized b/c... well... b/c women are better). And everywhere I look today, there is five-year-old archived footage. Even web sites are displaying (or making easily available) their cached 9/11 front page.

It's somewhat interesting to see how everyone else is observing the five-year anniversary. I have, myself, thought long & hard about what I would post tonight. I have wanted to commemorate the day without being trite, without necessarily telling you about what I was doing five years ago today (mostly because I, like CNN, was quite hackneyed that day), and without linking to other people's words.

I'm tempted to do all of the above. Very tempted. That way, I won't have to write anything original. Of course, reason says I've already written enough... many blogs feature posts that take only a minute (maybe two) to read. And I read those blogs. So, my guess is that you think I write too much anyway. But, I like boring you. So, indulge me a few more paragraphs.

CNN showed some viewer survey results at some point while I was watching their anniversary coverage today (ugh, surveys). Some (definitely not a majority... it was, maybe, fourth on the list of five answers) reported still feeling quite a bit of fear stemming from 9/11. That really got me thinking about how grateful I am to have been able to get by the fear. I told you about the illogical fear, right? Yeah, I'm sure I did... having to switch sides of the bed so I didn't have to sleep beside the window. Of course... b/c lots of airliners were going to be taking aim at my 3rd floor bedroom window of my Bellefonte low-income housing apartment. Anyway, I pretty much HAD to swallow the fear and get back on board airplanes for my job. And now, even though I'm still pretty darn nervous, I fly about once a month (including in less than a week... but more about that later, I'm sure).

Thankfully, I can also once again enjoy the nighttime. Why is it that the first thing we fear is the dark when the dark can be so calming? I remember a safety talk I listened to at C-TOPs. The advisor encouraged us young'uns not to run at night. There were lots of parents who didn't like hearing that... y'know, their pride & joy LIKES to run at night. At the time, I was like... WHO would like to run? And, seriously, at night?! But, who knew those parents and their pride & joy were right? Anyway, just got back from a sweet nighttime run with the kids. I think they like it as much as I do. Okay, maybe more. But I do like it. And I LOVE the peace, quiet, & darkness of the midnight hour.

Continuum: a link between two things, or a continuous series of things, that blend into each other so gradually and seamlessly that it is impossible to say where one becomes the next.