I almost forgot my sister's birthday and, as she is one of the few family members who bother to even send me a card at Christmas, that isn't good. Yes she was born on the 9th of September - 9/11.
It's 9/11 time again and if it wasn't for all the posts on Facebook I wouldn't have realised. It isn't that I have forgotten the event, I can vividly recall every moment of it and where I was and who with, it's just that I don't really have a need to remember dates these days.
Of course it was terrible, just as terrible as so many things that have occurred throughout history. But we can't remember them all otherwise we would spend all of our lives feeling sad and God knows where that would take us. Not a good place I'm sure.
Some things get remembered more than others; the first world war, princess Diana's death, the holocaust, Hiroshma. Other things, equally as important and terrible hardly register with most of us; the flu epidemic of 1918, the Irish potato famine, the Birmingham pub bombings.
'Lest we forget'? Why should we not forget? Or at least not have to remember on demand. Would it be so wrong to let these things fade from our minds? Would it be wrong to only remember them when we wanted to? Do we need all these silences so long after the events? Does it do anybody any good to post pictures of the place where the twin towers once stood to remind us of that day?
If you want to remember then please do. But don't expect everyone to remember with you or in the same way as you do. What we remember and how is each for each of us to decide and I want to remember my sister's birthday today, not 9/11
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Strange really that I feel so disassociated from my birth family that sometimes I forget that I even had one.I know why, but it makes it so much easier for me to let myself move further away and that can't be right can it? One sad vindictive man can make this happen, break you so that you just go 'fuck em' when some of them stand firm as they can. Well. if standing up to the shit dished out by that man costs me I really do not care any longer, He's a bad man and I'm sure that one day it will all come out for the sad fucker.
ReplyDeleteSharon Taylor on FB
ReplyDeleteI hope you have sent a card and phoned her x
Andrew Height
Card will arrive late (sent this morning), but yes I plucked up my courage and phoned. First time in years smile emoticon
Sharon Taylor
probably not as bad as you imagined, and a happy birthday to her as well, although she is not on Facebook xxx
Andrew Height
Caroline isn't the Facebook type.
Sharon Taylor
no I gather that, not for everyone,
Denise Smart on FB
ReplyDeleteIt is my husband's birthday today too xx
Andrew Height
well give him a hug from me Denise wink emoticon
Paul Whitehouse on FB
ReplyDeleteBlimey all the years i have known you Andrew and i never knew you had a sister!
Andrew Height
Two Paul, although we can't be called close. We are that sort of dysfunctional family thanks to my Dad.
Paul Whitehouse
Gosh
Andrew Height
Gosh indeed - the eldest of my sisters is the only one of my immediate family who still sends cards.
Sharon Taylor
to be fair Andrew Height I think the dysfunctionalality is just genetic!!!!!!!!
Paul Whitehouse
Jayne and i send you a card.
Andrew Height
Yes probably Sharon, although it isn't 'just' and it changes nothing. Whichever way you look at it his actions are not justifiable even though it runs in the family.
Andrew Height
Always Paul and appreciated.