Never Forget

I will never forget that day. I will never forget those last words.

 

That day, that minute, you knew you wouldn’t see any of it. And you tried to reach out to all of us-you reached but one person and I have tried my best to follow your instructions.

 

I did finally reengineer my life, being of many passions, I decided to delve into one of the others (and yes, I still adore music, and technology of course-could I ever NOT be a geek….)-and it’s been a marvelous decision, bringing fulfillment and friendships I wouldn’t otherwise have. I have BEEN at all those events, I always missed before, because I was working, from dinners, milestone birthdays,graduations,confirmations,and in recent years-the sheer joy of being able to spend time with my great nephew-yes, a great nephew-and he truly is spectacular.

 

I have tried to make every birthday party, graduation and special event, of all of the kids, even those who weren’t yet born, on that fateful day. I’ve even met some of the grandchildren of those no longer with us. This year, for the first time in many years, I really celebrated my birthday, in a way you would have all loved-of course it wasn’t our habitual monthly birthday blowout at Windows on the World-with more martinis than I wish to admit I ever consumed…..regularly…-and you were ALL missed.

 

I missed your silly humour when I got that fateful call from the doctor the first time, as I was getting ready to leave for my niece’s high school graduation. I missed your humor when the lunatic literally knocked me out and as I struggled to regain most of my mobility-and I sort of miss your gentle mocking of my complaints of pain, and I missed your humor the SECOND time I got that very same call, less than five years later. I know that you would have been the first to come mock me at home after surgery….

 

But, I am STILL here. I value EVERYDAY, as if it were my last, as I never know who, or what could happen. EVERYDAY I make sure I tell those most important to me, how I feel, and as you know me well,sometimes it may involve sarcasm-but I strive not to go to bed angry or wake up that way.

 

I am still sad, of all the things you all are collectively never going to experience, but those of us still here, we HAVE to make sure to experience and live our lives. I would have loved to have relished in the joy at your wedding, and I know you would have been a great father as well.

 

I am proud, to have been your friend. Considering how much time we spent together, its not surprising we all became friends, and in a sense family, and then the lines blended between our professional and personal lives. I am forever enriched by having known you all.

 

And by the way J, you’d be really proud now, I am (generally) unequivocally happy, I live and enjoy my life, in the way we all always hoped we would eventually-and...you know. you’d REALLY like K. I wish you’d all gotten the chance to know him, but he knows all of you J

 

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How the above resulted....September,for many deeply personal reasons,is a difficult month-but some days are much tougher,still raw,as compared to others...

As I walked to my office this morning,I partially walked the same route that I walked on the morning of 9/11. It was a gorgeous ,crisp,fall morning.I was off to what seemed like another in an endless series of follow up visits with my orthopeadic surgeon.Habitually,I always try to get the first appointment of the morning,so that I was able to get to work or meetings in a timely fashion.He was reliable to a fault,that day,he ran late....and I never made it to my former offices in the WTC....

The words below,are largely the result of my thoughts ,of this day,of friends-who were a part of my family......more could be said-but if you wonder what it may have been like,being here ,in NYC. I do not think I know anyone,with any ties to NYC,who was not directly (or indirectly) impacted.Our lives are different-but we must never forget,and we must keep living our lives to the best of our abilities.

I debated sharing....my takeaway from having written this-I feel better,knowing that I have not forgotten those who are,and still remain and important part of who I am today.

 

Posted via email from Nicole Beauchamp , Your NYC Real Estate Resource