By Mary Welander
State Rep., D-114
Mary Welander
I was living in New York then. I remember getting off the subway, grabbing a cup of coffee from one of those carts stationed conveniently on the corner, walking to work and feeling so grateful. I often wonder if I would still remember that profound feeling of gratitude, hope, and happiness if the rest of the day had gone on normally.
I was working at the Juilliard School as a theatrical electrician. As I walked through the plaza of Lincoln Center on that gorgeously sunny, yet crisp day (the kind that only happen in the fall), I thought “I can’t believe I get to do this every day.”
Just a short time later everything changed for all of us.
As we mark the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, I think a lot of us are remembering where we were and what we were doing when we heard or saw. I will never forget the sacrifices that the first responders and their families made. I will never forget the sound of my dad’s voice when I finally got through to my parents to let them know I was okay. I will never forget the lines of people waiting to donate blood for the victims who we all hoped were being brought to the hospitals, but then hearing the word pass through the crowd that there weren’t any coming. I remember people staying in line anyway because at some point someone would need that help.
There was such profound sadness and shock – and yes, anger – that surrounded the city that it’s hard to express. Beyond that – and what shapes me to this day – was the determined hope and resilience that the people and the city exuded. I say determined because it was a choice people made to continue to look for ways to help, ways to rebuild, ways to support and show that the spirit of our country and our city could not be destroyed.
Two of my brothers were already enlisted in the military, and the third joined up not long after. Across the country, the overwhelming majority of everyday people rallied together, adapted to a new (often uncomfortable) normal and tried to make the best choices we could at the time.
These days I often get that similar flash of gratitude as I serve this district: I can’t believe I get to do this every day. I still firmly believe that we are all more alike than unalike. Even when faced with charged issues like public health, we have the ability to respectfully work together for the common good.
None of this is easy, but I have seen up close the collective power and the goodness when people make determined choices to help others before themselves. We’ve done it before, and I know we can do it again.