Melanie Hope Greenberg: "Beams of Hope"

Yesterday, riding the "M" train to Bushwick, I noticed the bright red pedestrian walkway on the Williamsburgh Bridge next to the track. While I've walked over the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges many times, I've only crossed the Williamsburgh once on foot. That was on September 11, 2001, with my daughter, my friend Marie, and her two sons as we made our way back to Brooklyn by the then only available route from the kids' school, P.S. 150, in lower Manhattan, a few blocks north of the World Trade Center. I remembered looking south at the smoke blowing eastward toward my neighborhood, Brooklyn Heights, and the fighter jets flying overhead along the path of the East River. I also remembered the Hasidim who greeted us on the Brooklyn side, offering us cups of water.

Last year, I posted a photo of the "Tribute in Light", the twin searchlight beams sponsored by the Municipal Art Society in memory of the September 11 tragedy. This year, I've posted "Beams of Hope", by my friend and neighbor Melanie Hope Greenberg, an artist, author and illustrator of children's books. Image © 2004 Melanie Hope Greenberg.