Column: Myron On 9/11, Bermudians & More
[Column written by Martha Harris Myron]
It has been more than two decades, 23 years exactly, since September 11, 2001.
Preserved forever in history and in the hearts of mankind, it was the day that thousands of ordinary people – moms, sads, friends, relatives – went to work on that ordinary Tuesday morning and never came home.
It was the day of horrendous tragedy for those Bermudian families losing their own along with hundreds of guest co-workers, all employed in the international industry that drives our Bermuda economy.
It was the day that the almighty American economy stopped dead in its tracks. The knockdown global capitulation capital market effect transcended borders, leaping straight offshore across the Atlantic in a 360 degree arc with the swiftness of a tidal wave.
As so many of us watched the re-opening of Wall Street and the U.S. capital markets, we held our breath, hoping that the economic world would right itself. No one really knew what would happen; no one really wanted to see a small group of insane evildoers triumph over good and decent working people everywhere on this planet.
Time is passing swiftly now, and, as it does, memories are fading. Children, too young to remember the emotional and economic impact, have grown up, with many now employed in the very same industries that insured property and lives lost on that day.
Remembering the horror of it all; the terrible sadness for all precious lives gone; the sheer magnitude of lost human intellectual capital, many of us have not forgotten where we were when we heard/saw the news.
When the disbelief and shock wear off in any tragedy, human emotions run the gamut. An underlying anxiety comes to the fore.
Accompanying the gratitude for still being here, there is a bit of personal embarrassment felt for turning inward to worry about one’s own existence.
There’s a lot of guilt connected with these thoughts of self-preservation; somehow it seems the worse the catastrophe, the higher the guilt factor. We are after all, alive.
Shouldn’t that in and of itself be enough?
It is understandable to feel this way, and truthfully, it is perfectly normal. Sometimes, we feel so powerless in the face of such immense tragedy, realizing that 911 is just another recorded event in the history of mankind. How can we do anything that will have a positive effect?
We can take start now, even years later to take responsibility for ourselves by always being prepared financially.
Because no matter the depth of the tragedy, after the terribly sad good-byes are said, reality sets in.
Life must go on, money will be needed to buy essentials, food, diapers, transportation, education, medicine, all the basics of daily existence.
Children will go back to school. Daycare with/by remaining relatives. Those without partners must cope with a one-income family while some families lost both wage-earners. Finances will need to be reviewed. Insurance claims will need to be sorted out. Employment must be resumed.
Some semblances of normality in life and structure will eventually return.
Be so grateful for Bermudians’ close-knit society. Everyone here looks to their families and community for the emotional and practical support that has always been provided in times of trouble.
With such amazing community help, an overwhelming family burden becomes a shared community burden. This is what we Bermudians do. We need each other as we have for hundreds of years to cope with tragedy, begin anew, and not just survive, but thrive in the aftermath.
On this day, in remembrance of our people and friends, more than ever before, let us be grateful and continue to use this time for community building.
Do something for someone today, extra and unasked and unnoticed. Do this for your own soul.
After all, we are still here – to carry on.
- Martha Harris Myron
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