Six.
Can it ever be, will it ever be, was it ever more than a personal experience? Folly to assume that my own personal grief over this incident would be swept away by the passing of a mere 6 years, but I took the bate and woke up this morning to go about my day, like any other, just as I did six years ago. With that time between the me of then and the me of now, can I really claim a higher understanding of what happened? I think for anyone to say they do is arrogant and innaccurate. Because when was the last time you counted 2,819 of anything, let alone dead people. Because instead of understanding we have accumulated more incomprehensible, dead numbers in Afghanistan, Iraq, and places we don't even know, where our political largesse and ego have spurred the anger and hate of boys and men that we will never recognize until the next 'incident' takes us by surprise.
I remember where I was. My innocence had died long before but the date gave birth to my criticism, my wider awareness, my greater sorrow for the state of things. It borders on the ridiculous to say this date has to define or prescribe our daily actions, but I would venture to say that it has defined the nature of one day for all connected to this country in one way or another.
This date is particular to each in their turn; remember it as such.
I remember where I was. My innocence had died long before but the date gave birth to my criticism, my wider awareness, my greater sorrow for the state of things. It borders on the ridiculous to say this date has to define or prescribe our daily actions, but I would venture to say that it has defined the nature of one day for all connected to this country in one way or another.
This date is particular to each in their turn; remember it as such.