Accidently Like a Martyr, by Martha Thomases – Brilliant Disguise

September 11, 2010 Martha Thomases 12 Comments

When my son was little, we taught him how to use local landmarks to find his way home.  If he could get his bearings, he wouldn’t be lost.  The Empire State Building was north, and the World Trade Center was south.

On this date in 2001, we lost our bearings.

I’m sure your local newspapers – or, for you whippersnappers, your local Internets – are chock full of articles about observances for this day, or opinion pieces about What It All Means.

This year,  because of our unseasonably hot summer, the farmers at the Green Market report that their crops are coming in two to three weeks ahead of schedule.  Union Square is a riot of color, with pumpkins and apples in stands next to greens, corn and more. Harvest is a time when Nature compels us to consider to what effect we do our work, and live our lives. At the same time, through a confluence of lunar events, September 11 occurs amidst the Jewish High Holidays and the end of Ramadan.  It’s also  time for thoughtful people to contemplate the passage of time, what they’ve done in the past and what they hope to do in the future.

If September 11 was treated as a holiday for contemplation, like these other harvest festivals, I’d be cool with that.  People would remember the horror, of course, and mourn those who were lost.  After that, we might also remember what that day in, 2001 revealed about our character as a nation.  Here in New York, people who normally dislike and distrust each other ignored their differences.  Cops and homeless people, rich and poor, it didn’t matter.  I, myself, was even kind to tourists.  We had work to do, and we had to care for each other.  People from all over the world sent what they could to help.

This is the part of the column where my friend, Rick, will get teary remembering that we put him up that night (since there were no trains running).  He’s adorable this way.  He tells me how grateful he is to us for helping him.  However, he has it backwards.  I’m the one who should be grateful, because taking care of Rick gave me something useful to do.  Having him  here gave me someone with whom I could observe the madness, and see if it was really happening.  Being his friend gave (and continues to give) my life meaning and joy, as all my friends do.

At Rosh Hashanah services that year, the rabbi invited a local imam to give the sermon.  He talked about our common bonds, as Semitic people, as the spiritual children of Abraham, as Americans and as New Yorkers.  That’s worth remembering every year, mid-term elections or not.

May your New Year be filled with apples and honey, and some champagne because you should have occasion to celebrate.

Martha Thomases, Media Goddess, is preparing for all the atoning she has to do next week.