It has a collection of stories written by young women who lost their sisters, brothers, boyfriends and mothers on that clear day 10 years ago. Sheila Weller collected these letters that those left behind have written to their loved ones a decade later.
Dear Shell,
How I wish I had the power to turn back time, to protect you. That's what sisters are supposed to do. I was two years older, but we were inseparable. And so of course, we were roommate in New York City, each working for a different company. My office was in downtown Manhattan, yours was in the World Trade Center.
When a mysterious explosion rocked your office and you called me that morning, how I wish I would have stayed on the phone and comforted you. Our conversation was so innocent. I said, "I wasn't a bomb; it was just a place that hit your building. Your going to be okay." JUST A PLANE? What did I know? We b****** about how you'd lost your cute shoes in the blast; I told you a pedicure after work would fix everything.
Within an hour of our conversation, my building was evacuated. I made a sign that said, "Shell, meet me at the plaza" and hung it in my office lobby. You didn't show up at the plaza...
I love you Shell,
Always, Erin
Erin Bratton, 35, lost her sister Michelle. Today she is an elementary school counselor.
Dear Pete,
Five weeks before our wedding day, you left our Greenwich Village apartment and never come back. We had our honeymoon tickets to the Caribbean and you had chosen the song to our first dance...
The day of our wedding approached. Mom called Vera Wang but they had already shipped the dress, so a nice person on the phone said, "don't worry," we wouldn't be charged for it. It's still wrapped in plastic at my parent's house. When I called to cancel our honeymoon villa, the man on the other end brown down in tears after I told him the reason. "I had to say, "I'm sorry to be upsetting you."
Pete, sometimes I wonder what you would think of me now, after all I'd been through. I'm so much more at ease in the moment, not so preoccupied with tomorrow. Remember how you would tell me to "just relax buddy" and "it will all be fine"? I finally get it.
Thank you for what you taught me.
Love Forever,
Karen
Karen lost her fiancee. Today she works at the Narional Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
These are just a few of the stories, maybe throughout this week I will post a few more.
I hope I can learn from these brave women about what really matters in life.
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