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