A dear friend of mine asked me to share this, in honor of September 11th...
I find it hard to imagine it has been ten years since the 9/11 tragedy. There has been so much transformation in the world, good and bad. And so many things have changed politically and globally. Yet one thing I feel has not changed.
I have posted this message every year since the 9/11 tragedy and it still brings tears to my eyes and brings me back to that tragic day in NYC when time stood still as we watched and felt the ever vivid tragedgy unroll in front of our eyes and then so quickly following a community of people coming together and rising above the ashes, it still makes me feel proud (and I am sure so many others) to not only be a born and raised New Yorker but to be an American. To live in a country where I have the ability to live MY life and to fufill MY dreams in any way I can think possible.
NYC took a massive hit 10 years ago, but the city, is still standing. I watched as friends and family suffered, but those people have overcome. Our city was struck in the heart yet that heart is still beating. And on this 9/11 my prayers go out to all of the families that are still affected by 9/11.
Even though I have said goodbye to New York and New York City as my home, I am a New Yorker and I will never forget.
A Tribute to New York on the Anniversary of 9/11, written by Vincent Pasquale, Maspeth , NY
I am a New Yorker
I am a New Yorker
I live in the five boroughs or on the Island or Upstate
I went to SUNY Colleges
I may live hundreds or thousands of miles away
Or I may live just over the GW Bridge
But I am a New Yorker
I am a New Yorker
Whatever took me out of New York :
Business, family or hating the cold
did not take New York out of me.
My accent may have faded and my pace may have slowed
But I am a New Yorker
I am a New Yorker
I was raised on Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Rockefeller Plaza ,
The Yankees or the Met’s (Giants or Dodgers)
Jones Beach, Rye Beach, Orchard Beach, Sunken Meadow or one of the beaches on the sound
I know that ‘THE END’ means Montauk.
Because I am a New Yorker
I am a New Yorker
When I go on vacation, I never look up
Sky scrapers are something I take for granted
The Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty are part of me
Taxis and noise and subways and ‘get outa heah’ don’t rattle me
Because I am a New Yorker
I am a New Yorker
I was raised on cultural diversity before it was politically correct
I eat Armenian food, Greek food and Italian food,
Jewish and Middle Eastern food and Chinese food
Because they are all American food to me.
I even eat those Bellie Bombs -White Castle’s
I don’t get mad when people speak other languages in my presence
Because my relatives got to this country via Ellis Island and chose to stay
They were New Yorkers
People who have never been to New York have misunderstood me
My friends and family work in the industries, professions and businesses that benefit all Americans
My firefighters died trying to save New Yorkers and non-New Yorkers
They died trying to save Americans and non-Americans
Because they were New Yorkers.
I am a New Yorker
I feel the pain of my fellow New Yorkers
I mourn the loss of my beautiful city
I feel and dread that New York will never be the same But then I remember:
I am a New Yorker
And New Yorkers have:
Tenacity, strength and courage way above the norm.
Compassion and caring for our fellow citizens. Love and pride in our city, in our state, in our country.
Intelligence, experience and education par excellence. Ability, dedication and energy above and beyond Faith–no matter what religion we practice.
Terrorists hit America in its heart but America ’s heart still beats strong. Demolish the steel in our buildings, but it doesn’t touch the steel in our souls.
Hit us in the pocketbook but we’ll parlay what we have left into a fortune.
End innocent lives leaving widows and orphans, but we’ll take care of them because they are New Yorkers
Wherever we live, whatever we do, whoever we are there are New Yorkers in every state and every city of this nation.
We will not abandon our city.
We will not abandon our brothers and sisters
We will not abandon the beauty, creativity and diversity that New York represents.
We are New Yorkers and we are proud to be New Yorkers
REMEMBER THE WTC
Author - Vincent Pasquale, Maspeth , NY Thank you Vincent for allowing us to share this all around the world.
Emmi
wow! Thanks for sharing!