By Elisabeth D. Turner, Special to The Chronicle
A trip to New York City on the tenth anniversary of a tragedy so great in impact may seem like a risky thing at first thought. For both native New Yorkers and Americans everywhere, such an excursion may procure images of billowing flames, falling concrete, and a seemingly endless amount of gray rubble, not to mention the horrified countenances of both New York City workers and other American citizens scattered across the nation. However, many others see the tenth anniversary as a day of renewed hope and anticipation for a brighter and more beautiful future. The countenances we now look upon are not merely ones of despair, but are of hope for a more secure and thriving America, one in which our children’s children go on to lead successful, prosperous lives.
For three Hofstra students, including myself, Sunday was a day to reminisce about the past, but also a day to be in the present; to be in the here and now. We boarded the LIRR Sunday morning in hopes of making it to Hillsong located at Irving Plaza. Anticipating heavy traffic, we quickly traveled from Penn Station to the clubhouse-turned-church. Although none of us were from New York, the somber sentiment permeating the air was undeniable.
Surprisingly, traffic was relatively light, although an abundance of policeman dotted the streets. Passing a myriad of faces, I noted the pensive quality on many, those of tourists and city professionals alike. The sky itself was a cloudy gray hue, synonymous to this pensive sentiment.
Upon entering the clubhouse, this feeling immediately shifted to one of hope and restoration. Fluorescent blue lights lit the stairwell and upbeat music wafted its way down the steps. Upon reaching the top, I became aware of people’s raised arms and their resounding emotion. I looked around, observing the sincerity with which men and women alike appeared to close their eyes and lift their voices. After the pastor walked up to the stage, people began to take their seats, faces relaxed, yet bodies somehow energized.
As the pastor began to speak, the room quieted. I listened intently, anxious to hear his personal input on 9/11 and all of its sensitive components. His message seemed to contain many viable points that could resound with even the non-religious.
His closing statement related directly to the 9/11 attacks. “No matter the mess or the seemingly unconquerable situation an individual may be in,” he stated, “that situation does not define him.” Instead, he explained, the way in which that individual reacts to the mess that has been heaped upon him is what signifies the substance of his character. Two buildings filled with hundreds of innocent people crashed down and became heaps of rubble, huge and seemingly unconquerable messes.
As a nation, it is not the fact that we were victims of such a devastating tragedy, but is instead our response to the mess that has and will continue to identify us a country.
The privilege of being in New York City on Sunday finally gave me the full impact of the reality of the devastation that had occurred. Being present at the scene allowed me to better grasp the facts that I had previously been too young to understand: in a matter of minutes, lives were lost and dreams were destroyed. Standing underneath a hazy sky, amidst a maze of gray skyscrapers, I was able to take hold of a sentiment to which New Yorkers and Americans alike are now subject. Tragedy should never weaken the American spirit, but instead strengthen and fortify its citizens and their ability to respond calmly in times of crisis.
