My work covering Elizabeth Kovalcin over the last 10 years after her husband was killed when his plane became the first to hit the World Trade Center has come to an end, but my friendship with Elizabeth and her family will never be over. I'm no fan of memorials, pomp and/or circumstance, but the installment in Hudson, NH - my town - where David Kovalcin lived with his family - is stellar and even more remarkable given the fact that just three weeks before there was nothing in that spot except an American flag. Let's do what Elizabeth asked. Let's not look at her children or the others who lost someone that day with pity any more. "We're happy," she said. "We are 10 years in the future." To read my last article on the subject, hit this link.
Ten years later
2 comments:
Thank you for sharing Elizabeth's last words with us. My son was born on 9/11 and this tragedy had made it difficult for him to celebrate his birthday for many years. Today, he is 19 and like Elizabeth, he believes we need to move forward, and be happy.
HI, Stacy - Thank you so much for the blogging class you and Tom are offering. As a long-time writer, publisher and editor, I'm certainly getting a lot out of the workshop.
When I heard your blog was abut the "American Dream," a thought returned to me that I've had before. It seems that when I was young, the American Dream had to do with the opportunity to make the choices you wanted to make with your life - the chance to "make something of yourself" in America based only on your work and endeavors, as opposed to any social restrictions that were accepted in other places. It was, as Martin Luther King said, a chance to be "judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin." THe European immigrant who came here with $6 and wound up with a successful career or business was the epitome... But about 15, 20 years ago, the "American Dram" became owning your own home. That's really quite a switch, when you think about it. To me, it indicates that perhaps were a more materialistic culture now than an idealistic one. And that, as in other places, we're more likely to judge people by what they wear, what schools they attended, where they live, etc., rather than the "content of their character."
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