Since I was in Manhattan on 9/11, working at a doomed dotcom startup, I can't help being emotionally drawn in to media frenzy that's currently going on leading up to this weekend's anniversary.
Luckily for me, I was uptown on 38th street at the time -- close enough to be aware of what was going on but far enough away to be out of danger.
What I remember most about that day is not the tragedy that unfolded downtown. Instead, I remember the actions of bystanders like myself. That beautiful fall day in New York was filled with moments of human beauty and compassion that makes you realize that all people have good in them, if they'd only take time out of their busy days to let it out.
I remember the parade of dust-covered zombies walking up 5th avenue towards Grand Central Station, and the shop owner along the way who gave away his stock of sneakers to the women trudging uptown in high heels.
I remember the phone call I received around 10:30am from my kid's school making sure I was OK in case my kids began asking. Strangely, it was the only incoming or outgoing call that made it through to my office that entire day.
I remember the taxi driver that pulled over outside our building, opened his doors and blast his radio so that the crowd of 40-50 strangers on the street could hear the latest news reports and share their views about the unfolding drama.
I remember all the collections of food, bottled water, and supplies that were taken up for ground zero workers everywhere in the suburbs where I lived during the days immediately following the disaster.
In short, after 10 years, I remember the good things that took place -- not the bad ones.
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