remembering

"ten years in"

I didn't tune in to much of the media coverage of the 9/11 tenth anniversary, feeling, as my friend, Eileen, said, that I didn't really want to be further reminded. I don't think any of us - even those like me, who were nowhere near the East Coast and knew no one who died - can forget that day or the ways in which our country has since changed.

But while walking home today, I did listen to This American Life's story, "Ten Years In," in which they go back to people whom they interviewed in the days and early years after 9/11 to find out how they're doing and how they feel about these anniversaries. I figured that if anyone could revisit and pay tribute in meaningful and insightful ways without becoming maudlin or trite, it would be the TAL journalists, and indeed, they do a remarkable job.

In their trademark method that seems so simple and yet magical, the TAL crew draw out the perspectives of people who are simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary. Their accounts convey frustration, despair, disillusionment, and yes, sadness, but also humor, gratitude, and resilience. Even if you've felt bombarded with 9/11 stories over the past few days, I give this one my highest recommendation and encourage you to give it a listen.