Today I, like people all over the world, am remembering those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. I’m going to spend some time learning new names, and being so thankful that I live in a country where first responders ran toward danger instead of away. I’ve spent the last week thinking about what I will tell Annabel when she asks me about 9/11…I’m not sure about a lot, but I know I will tell her about how brave people were that day, how so many helped people they didn’t know, and how our country came together to comfort and mourn. When I hear the expression, “never forget,” those are the things I want to remember and pass on to my children. Fifteen years later, it’s still so hard to grasp what happened that day and what was lost. Love and light to everyone today.
Around The ‘Net
~The Falling Man (9/11 trigger warning)
~How I Remember My Father 15 Years After Losing Him On 9/11
~‘We’re the Only Plane in the Sky’ The Journey of Air Force One on 9/11
~California Gov. Jerry Brown Signs New Climate Change Laws
~Screening Mental Health In Kindergarten Is Way Too Late, Experts Say
~When Love Isn’t as Simple as Standing by Your Man
~How to get that ‘presidential look’
~Inside the Cutthroat Rivalry Between Two of L.A.’s Elite Preschools
~How I Moved On From My What Not To Wear Style
~Why The Discovery Of An Earth-Like Planet Is Such A Big Deal
~Modeling Poses Done Much Better by Cats
Happy Sunday, everyone. Be kind to each other.
Kathy says:
Heather, Let me tell you about Stephen Stiller. He had just left his firehouse to go golfing with his brothers on the morning of 9/11. When he heard about the towers, he went back to the firehouse to get his gear and then his car got stopped at one of the tunnels. He ran through the tunnel to the towers with his gear. After his death, his family and friends started a foundation in his name and a memorial run was organized (tunnel2towers.org). I participated in one of the 5Ks yesterday. Each participant ran with a lanyard depicting one of the fallen. My firefighter was Carl Molinaro from Ladder 2, age 32 with a wife, two-year-old daughter, and a son who had just been born in August. I love your commitment to learning about those who died that day.
Karen says:
My friend Dominique Pandolfo was only 27 when she died at the Towers that day. She was the only child of her parents and her dad had died several years prior. Dominique was the kind of person who never met a stranger. She had many many friends from all walks of life. She had just moved in with her longtime boyfriend and had just started work on her MBA in New York. She was at the WTC for a meeting that day. We all miss her smile and her drive and her love of shopping ?
Valerie says:
As always, LOVE Surfing Sunday!!! ESP. blown away by the “Falling Man” piece (heartbreaking) and “Here there be Mermaids.” STS is an AWESOME writer, and her words go straight to the heart, no matter who you are and where you call home. Keep this GREAT feature going… THANK YOU!!!!
XOXO
Val
Lanie says:
Sending love and light right back to you Heather. One of my twins teachers this year sent out an email about 9/11:
“As we approach September 11, I wanted to touch on the subject in a way that felt appropriate without being frightening for fourth graders. We read the book, Fireboat about the John J. Harvey — a retired 1930s fireboat in New York City that was saved from becoming scrap metal and went on to help firefighters on September 11, 2001. I decided rather than focus on the fear that day brought, we would focus on the heroes.
I like this quote from none other than Mr. Rogers, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” We ended up making cards for local heroes; local helpers. I am glad to have your children as my students. Reading their comments today, made me feel like they were my heroes and that with their hearts, our future will be bright.
Enjoy today, and every day.”
He is an amazing teacher and you are an amazing writer. I am very thankful for you both. xo