2,800+ people dead

Hi Judson and others–
I chanced on this post. It strikes a chord though. Your expression 'down =
the street' is right about the WTC – I live off W. 10th st. and Hudson and=
it was 'down the street'.

I think people in the rest of America felt the disaster symbolically. I fe=
lt it as a huddled hush in this neighborhood. I haven't gone near it.

After I was afraid to fly and went through a series of emotions, fear, sadn=
ess, grief. I wanted my neice to change her wedding plans and not go to Ha=
waii–but she was set on it–so I flew there to see my brother from Colorad=
o and family – and he died from a sudden cardiac arrest 5 days after the w=
edding while scuba diving.

I had a sense of foreboding before I left–like the wheel of fortune was go=
ing to turn down inevitably (from being at a high point feeling about my ne=
ices wedding and great happiness there). And I don't know if the forebodin=
g was because of the WTC or a premonition of my brother's death to come.

It was good I got over the fear of flying–because the wedding event was t=
he last time I would see my brother so near the concluding days of his life=
. It was a great high point and I felt my parents' spirit there.

Back here I haven't been to the pit ever or yet–and here they are unveilin=
g new plans today for building for 2007. I used to swim in the Marriott for=
merly Vista in front of the WTC. I think it would be too upsetting to go th=
ere and will avoid it if I can until the space is filled with a replacement=
structure.

My family is going on with my neices new marriage and another neice, my bro=
ther's other daughter, having a new boyfriend. Time stops for no man and t=
here will be a replacement structure. It makes me feel good to know and see=
a replacement structure – tho I hate to think about and can't stand to se=
e or think about things being washed away. Someday I have to go by the WTC=
again and I'm sure I'll have strong feelings about it. The crash was so s=
urgical in that it pinpointed that precise area and 'up the street' it can =
seem normal – but it was a terrible attack on America and a wake up call a=
bout the value and security of all kinds of resources we have taken for gra=
nted.

Judy