| One Friday in November, I began a journey | | | | seeing the expressed pain and anguish was |
| from New Jersey to downtown New York City to | | | | something else. In my past communication with |
| visit old work friends. It was my first visit | | | | commuters, yes, we would talk, but often to |
| since the tragic September 11th attack. | | | | simply kill time. Now it was evident we were |
| Although I've traveled this same route--the | | | | part of the same "family".Once he found out I |
| commuter train to the Hoboken station from | | | | was a drummer, and I found out he was a |
| 1996-2000--there were now, of course, changes | | | | keyboard player, the tone took a tremendous |
| in the environment when I got to Hoboken.For | | | | upward shift. It was amazing how that shift |
| one thing, it was the first time I had to ask | | | | even allowed us to get into specifics. We |
| a fellow commuter how I would get downtown | | | | were now glowfully discussing drum techniques |
| from the Hoboken train station, as in the | | | | such as Steve Gadd's work on "Aja", and Jeff |
| past, I always took the path train to the | | | | Porcaro's hi-hat sound and groove from |
| WTC. I began to ask a commuter, and that's | | | | "Rosanna". I began to explain some hand |
| when I noticed the next big change: A great | | | | technique including the moeller stroke. We |
| sense of relatedness and unity amongst | | | | started to laugh at the similarity, joy and |
| commuters. Not that we were void of any sense | | | | appreciation we had! One can now sense that |
| of that in the past, but now we were faced | | | | we had come to relate to one another on two |
| with a massive perspective shift: As a whole, | | | | levels.No experience can ever erase our |
| we've experienced a never-expected nightmare | | | | September 11th tragedy. However, the friendly |
| to our previously-thought "invincible" New | | | | environment change I witnessed between NYC |
| York City.The first gentleman I spoke to was | | | | commuters now was actually heartening. And, |
| extremely helpful and more than willing to | | | | in the case of the conversation I had with |
| offer his help on how I would now get | | | | this second gentleman, drums were a vehicle |
| downtown. His knowledge and love for the city | | | | that significantly uplifted the mood of our |
| was evident.Then another gentleman came up to | | | | conversation -- which, especially for this |
| me and began speaking. This second | | | | gentleman -- brought him a temporary escape |
| conversation I had really reinforced my | | | | from his painful, visual memories.We know how |
| conviction of the universality and positivity | | | | widespread the positive effect of drums is. |
| of drumming. Make no mistake: The | | | | Is it any coincidence that drums are now |
| conversation began in a dark tone, as he | | | | being linked to health more and more? Or why |
| depicted to me his firsthand witnessing of | | | | REMO has a department called Health Rhythms? |
| September 11th. This man is an employee of a | | | | Or why there are programs such as Drums not |
| large corporation located a few blocks down | | | | Guns and Drumming for Success? Or why Dom |
| from the WTC. Yes, I've heard some details on | | | | Famularo and Zoro have such an inspirational |
| the news and through casual talk previously. | | | | effect? |
| But to hear it from someone firsthand, while | | | | |