Remembering 9/11/2001
While it is easy for us grown ups to get used to all the chatter on radio and television and not pay enough attention to anything that isn’t of utmost importance to our personal lives or goals, my 5 yr. old today reminded me of why a 5 yr. old is better than grown ups.
While driving him around town on errands, as I usually do, I was listening to the public radio broadcast on WHYY. While it was good conversation, it was more or less a blur to my grown up brain and while sobering, it wasn’t heartfelt. But to my 5 yr. old it was a lot more. I sensed that as soon as he started asking endless questions. All very innocent, all very touching. He asked me what memory meant when he heard “sonic memorial” on radio. He asked me why they won’t build two towers now. And when I ignorantly I said I don’t know, he said because they have built a fountain there. That’s when it struck me how ignorant I was. While he was listening to same radio and watching same news on TV as I was, he was actually the one paying attention!
What touched me the most is when he said when he grows up, he wants to start a company in L.A. (not sure why he picked that) and will build twin towers everywhere except in New York city because they have fountain there! It send a shockwave through me. How a kid, who has no idea of the magnitude of the events that unfolded on that unforgettable morning, wanted to do so much for a memory!
That’s when I woke up and decided create a picture to tell the story.
I am not an artist so I have used pictures I came across from image search on search engines and if I am violating any copyrights unknowingly, I hope the authors will understand that I have no intention of making this image available for sale. I just want to do this for my child and his endless curiosity. God bless him.
What I am sharing here are some outcomes of my numerous attempts with two formats; one for desktop wallpaper and one for print (8x10 format). Feel free to download for personal use. Please do not try to sell out of respect for the victims. I claim no copyright to these photographs. If I have used your photograph and you don’t want me to use it for this good cause, let me know and I will immediately remove it.
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Oh and if you want to know how did I create this collage, check out Microsoft Research AutoCollage.