It's Quiet in My Corner of New York City

I had a day of fun and errands planned for today, and for the most part that is how the day went for me. I was in the audience at The Chew this morning, treated myself to coffee out and then took the bus to Michael's. It was quiet at Michael's and I happily browsed the card supplies. My next stop was Whole Foods and I relished the relative quiet of being there at noon on a weekday. I floated through the aisles and the short line to check out my groceries. I had a fruit cup and enjoyed seeing a table of new mothers and their sweet babies. But at the same time I checked CNN and answered messages from friends who worried about my proximity to the explosion in East Harlem.

I saw an ambulance or two, but not a swarm of them. There was no entourage of police cars or fire trucks, just a few taxis and cars.  Only two miles away from the explosion this was the scene.

There was one lone taxi...

...and the usual afternoon dog walkers.

From these placid scenes it's hard to imagine that hell that was only two miles away. Here there was no smoke, no fire, no sirens. Only two miles away from the explosion it was just a relatively warm March afternoon, with school buses soon to arrive.  Not so different from September 11. It took more than a few miles then to lose the scent of smoke, but on that day five miles took me from hell to a beautiful late summer day.     

I had a post set for today, but real life has pushed it off until tomorrow. Pesky real life. Though days and weeks now go by and I almost forget about September 11. Not completely, but enough to push it way to the back of my consciousness. Then pesky real life and sirens and explosions happen just a few miles from home.

I am grateful, very grateful, that it is quiet in my corner of New York City. I am praying for those injured, those still missing and those who lost their homes. I grieve for those who died.

Wishing you all quiet, peace and safety.