Lately, Facebook started wooing the nostaligiacs of us...
"On this day in 2009..." My Facebook status on this day in 2009? "In Boston." I was visiting fellow Burrower Leanne, we had been touring D.C., and then I came back with her to Boston. We took the night train, and none of us really realized when staggering off at the station in Boston what day it was. I seem to remember it even took a while for us to notice.
On this day six months ago I was having a busy day at the embassy, helping out with the last few details before our Prime Minister visit. Then the earth started moving, we crept under the table, the world turned upside down (figuratively) and several inches off its axis (literally).
On this day eleven months ago, I wrote a note of encouragement to myself. It was three minutes to midnight, and I was up, working on my master's thesis. I hated my thesis. I hated everything and everyone. Including myself. But I had the wisdom to realize that I hadn't hit rock bottom yet. The note - when I re-read it two months later - was appreciated.
On this day last year, I was on my way to a hotel in Lillehammer, where my entire family were gathering to celebrate my parents' 40th anniversary. It was a lovely weekend.
On this day ten years ago I was home from school, watching some mindless show. It was interrupted by a news report, about the first plane. I remember thinking "accident". Then the second plane hit, and the idea of an accident was obsolete. At the age of fifteen I hardly knew what the concept "terrorism" meant. That was about to change.
On this day in 1904 my great great great grandfather observed the landing of two ships in Geiranger, Norway. One of them was a war ship, Sparton, but the more notable was the ship it was accompanying: Alexandra and Albert. On board was the Danish-born, British Queen Alexandra, wife of Edward VII. The queen and her party were sightseeing, and they left Geiranger two days later.
On this day in year 9, the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ended. An alliance of Germanic tribes defeated the Romans, and this was the end of any serious Roman attempts to conquer Germania beyond the Rhine.
This day didn't start being part of history in 2001. It didn't end then either. But some events make deeper marks on their aftermath than others.
4 comments:
Yes they do.
And I guess your parents just celebrated forty-one years of marriage as well.
There have been many, many 'remembrance' post about 9/11 -- this is the best one I have seen. Thank you.
Excellent post! Your last line is completely brilliant.
B
I celebrate my birthday each year on 9/11.
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