Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Grateful

I called my friend and former boss, Joel, today. I got his voicemail, as I usually do. In my message, I said, "Hi Joel. I'm starting to feel like a mother who calls her baby every year on his birthday to tell him about the day he was born. But I can't help myself. I always think of you on September 11th, and how scared I was that day that you might not be okay. I just want to tell you how much your friendship means to me and how glad I am that you're alive and well."

Of course, I blubbered my way through the message. But I think that is one of the tragic blessings of 9/11. It helps me to say the things I might not usually tell someone. It makes me more apt to let down my emotional guard and say just how I feel.

I'm just so grateful for Joel's life. He was my boss and continues to be my friend. And his life matters very much to me.

3 comments:

canknitian said...

That's wonderful.

J said...

Oh, this took me back to that horrid day...I called my friend, who worked in Manhattan...she witnessed the whole thing from her office window, and her husband was in one of the buildings across the street that was destroyed, so he pretty much ran for his life that day. My relief when she answered her phone...it floods me even now. I cried then, and gosh, I'm almost crying now, all these years later.

ML said...

That day really brings back a lot of memories. Very emotional.