Its hard to believe that its has been 6 years since 9/11/01 and I can still remember taking this photograph on my sophmore year of college. This was the view I had at Pratt on the 15th floor of our dorm room apt. and it was a fantastic one. I loved going to college in New York and all the exciting things it had to offer a young artist. I can remember feeling like I was finally home with people that could relate to me. Back in my small town in Massachusetts it was hard for me to have friends that understood what I was all about and my interests were so far from most of them that at times I felt as if I did not belong. However the day I went to school I can recall how wonderful it felt to be with kids my age who were just like me.
Although I had gone to school in New York and lived thereafter for about 8 more years I never had the desire to go up the twin towers. Somehow I felt I didn't need to and now I wish I had. I still remember how I felt everytime I would drive from home back to New York and to see those amazing towers just off in a distance I knew I was back again.
I had decided in 1997 to leave Brooklyn because they had found an arsenal of pipe bombs around the corner of my apt. and I just got the feeling something bad was going to happen. Little did I know it would be four years later, as I watch with horror like the rest of us the towers collapsing right before my eyes. I had to call all my friends in the city right away to see if they or their friends were okay. One of my close friends did lose a cousin ( a firefighter) in the South Tower I believe. She said it was soo hard to deal with all the stress of hearing the sirens all the time.
These days when I go back its as if nothing has happened which just shows you how life moves on. I know that this day is very hard for my ex-fellow New Yorkers so with that in mind I pray for you today, and to all of those who lost so much on that horrible day.
Remember to always validate, appreciate and tell all those you care for you love them because you just never know if today would be your last day to see them! Peace to all!
-Ellen