A New York minute is defined as an instant or a very short amount of time. Or as Johnny Carson once said, it’s the interval between a Manhattan traffic light turning green and the guy behind you honking his horn. As you can imagine, everybody in New York City is in a hurry-up mode.

Hanging on the wall of my office here in Iowa is a clock that I bought long time ago. I got it when we were still living in New York City back in the late 1990’s. It has been a part of me ever since. Maybe that’s why I’m always on the run as I am always operating in New York minutes.

My clock

I was doing my fellowship training in Pulmonary at that time and was on a very limited resources. But when I saw this clock in one of the stores in Queens, I wanted it so bad even though it was not in my budget to buy it.

It is kind of funky clock, with the Polka dot tie and fancy pants as its hour hand and minute hand respectively. In addition, it also depicts the New York City skyline on its face. At least the known skyline during that time, with the famous twin towers.

But that skyline was forever changed on that ill-fated September 11 morning. It changed many things as well, including the way we look at the world.

For those whose lives were affected, changed or snuffed out by that particular day and time, we remember you. Not in a New York minute, but in a long-lasting remembrance.

Here’s to a solemn 17th anniversary commemoration of 9/11.

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Above photo is me taking a stroll at a park here in Des Moines, passing by thousands of flags that were set-up in remembrance of 9/11. Each flag represents a life that was lost during that tragedy.

(*photos taken with an iPhone)