I woke up at 5:30 am to watch the ceremony in NYC, since I missed the tragedy the first time around. It was hard to watch and to remember that I was blissfully sleeping here in the city and county of San Francisco, while huge jet planes were crashing into the towers of the World Trade Center.

9/11 further intruded into my world as I was in my car going to work. My neighbourhood has one the largest jewish temples in San Francisco. We also have a jewish school. I had to take a detour to get on Park Presidio Avenue, because the roads to the jewish temple were blocked and being guarded by the police. A few blocks down, I saw that the roads to the jewish school were also blocked and being guarded by the police.

I was frightened to see the blocked roads and the police, but I have to tell myself that they are just being cautious.

On 280 just before my exit, I noticed a bloodied dead raccoon lying on the side of the road. The raccoon was such visible reminder to me of what this day represented last year, what the whole year was about, and I think, what today is still about.