attack

In the year since September 11, 2001, many people have asked me if I knew anything about the horrible events of that day before they hap­pened. The answer is yes and no. I had no clue that it would be an attack by terrorists or that it would involve the hijacking of airplanes. But in the weeks and even hours leading up to that morning that none of us will ever forget, I did have what in retrospect were strong indications of the tragedy that was about to befall so many families and our entire country. Over the years, there have been times when I felt overwhelmed by heavy feelings that I couldn't explain at the time. They have often turned out to be followed by a major catastrophe, especially one occurring in close proximity to where I live. One day in the winter of 1993, I remember, I had a horrible feeling while having lunch with a co-worker from the hos­pital. When we got back to our desks, we heard that a bomb had exploded in the parking garage of the World Trade Center. I also had severe feelings of foreboding for days before the explosion and crash of TWA Flight 800 off the south shore of Long Island.

But I have never gotten such strong and unusual feelings as those that came through around the events of 9/11. And there has never been apublic tragedy that has had a greater impact on my work and how it is perceived.The images of September 11 and the days and weeks that followed will forever be burned in our personal and collective memories. Each of us will remember where we were that day and how we reacted to what we saw. Most of us saw the pictures on television, but some had to experi­ence the attack firsthand. They were lucky to survive. And some will have to carry their memories with them for the rest of their lives as they grieve for loved ones lost in the attacks. For me, besides taking everything in as a human being, an American, and a New Yorker, I had to decide how I would deal with this terrible event in my work, and to come to terms with that decision. […]