Cathy and I watched The Path to 9/11 on television tonight. I had forgotten that we were in Metro New York for the Turn of the Millennium. My father lives in Connecticut, and we went there that year for New Year’s Day. The photo you see is my son crawling all over a bronze statue of a stock broker in Liberty Park, directly across from what was then the Merrill Lynch Building — on December 30, 1999.
I lived in Manhattan for ten years, from 1976 to 1986. For quite a few of those years, I worked just across from Liberty Park, in the Equitable Building at 120 Broadway. At the other end of that little brick park was the southeast entrance to the World Trade Center complex.
I worked insane hours in those days, and, very often, when I got out of work, I would go sit at this tiny circular plaza plopped down between the Twin Towers. Not quite pre-dawn, still full dark, but completely deserted — and to be completely alone in New York City is an accomplishment. I would throw my head back and look up at the towers, the fourth movement of the Ninth Symphony running note-perfect through my head.
Everything I am describing was either destroyed or heavily damaged on September 11, 2001. Along with the lives of thousand of innocents. Along with the comfort and serenity of their families. Along with the peace of the entire world.
I don’t believe in any heaven except for this earth, this life — the heaven we make every day by pursuing the highest and best within us. The World Trade Center had its faults. I can detail every one. But it was a piece of the sublime, a proud testament to how high, how good our highest and best can be. I don’t believe in heaven, but when I think of what was done that day, I pray there is an everlasting torment for the men who did it…
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sonya thornton says:
Dear Sir;
I thank you for your brve and honest comments on dual agency. I am a Canadian with a beautiful cape on an acre and a half in Kentville, Nova Scotia and have been listed with Propertyguys.com…lots of interest and showings at first, an insulting offer and no sale. It seems that dual agency is the way things are done in this real estate board..this whole process has been a horror as I love my home so much and am sellin only because of being widowed before 40 and the desire to return to my family…wow..what to do….care to comment??
September 18, 2006 — 10:12 am
Cathleen Collins says:
Hi Sonya.
This is Greg’s wife, Cathleen. I was a widow in my early 40’s when I met Greg, so am inspired to respond to you… not about the real estate aspect of your situation so much as the life-altering aspect. If you are only recently widowed, there’s a pretty good chance that nothing about the real estate transaction you are pursuing will be satisfying to you. Nothing at all can possibly seem right in your situation.
Are you in a support group? If not, I highly recommend that you find one. You might even get some ideas from other people in the group about your decision to sell your home just now. If you are financially and socially able to wait, it may be easier on you to not take on all the exigencies that most everyone has to deal with when they sell their homes. Common wisdom suggests that you put off making any life-changing decisions that you are able to defer while you are in raw grief over the loss of your beloved husband.
Whatever you decide, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Take care of yourself.
September 19, 2006 — 12:46 am
Canadian REALTOR says:
If I may make a comment about Sonya’s experience with the unlicensed, for sale by owner listing service, http://www.propertyguys.com. It’s a shame that consumer’s perceive that these types of services are representing the consumer’s interest in an agency capacity. As a REALTOR, I believe our Standards of Business Practice offers consumers a higher standard than a for sale by owner marketing service. I am not aware of any regulators (who license real estate professionals)who have addressed these for sale by owner listing services.
March 17, 2007 — 9:52 am