Where were you on 9/11?

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

On 9/11 as I was leaving the hairdresser's a lady was walking in saying that a plane had hit the World Trade Center - I thought it was some kind of accident but when I turned on the radio I heard that we, America, was being attacked.  I felt like the air had disappeared - I could barely breath, my hands started to shake.  I had been heading into my real estate office but I turned around and drove a few miles away to the nearest T.V. - at my dad's house.  By the time I walked in the second plane had already crashed into the other tower.  The scenes on the TV were horrific - I was scared for our country and I was angry at those that could do such a thing.  Shocking to watch as they played the videos over and over.  People jumping from the towers was the worst part - I fell to my knees sobbing.  The Pentagon, the airplane over PA - it just kept getting worse.  As the first building collapsed - I could only pray to God.  All those people, their families - unimaginable.  As the days went by there were hero's emerging from the tragedy, some goodness in the face of all that evil.  10 years later the thing I mourn the most is the loss of innocence, the loss of trust in people, the lost of a sense of security that I will never have again in my lifetime.  I travel frequently and I'm reminded every time I go through the airport.   I stood last week at the World Trade Center site - along with machine gun toting police. 

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

On 9/11 I was in bed, sleeping until my alarm went off for my 9:30 am Spanish class.  My college roommate (and best friend today) barged in and woke me up and said "get up now!  The World TC has been hit by an airplane".  I thought she was lying, but got up and went to the living room to see the tv.  We all know how it unfolded. I saw the 2nd plane hit and watched the entire day and following weeks of coverage.  I remember picking up the kids I babysat for, bringing them home in the weeks that followed, sitting on the couch and just crying. 

I went to school with kids from all over the US. My best guy friend was from NJ.  His dad was on the FERRY going to the city and watched the planes go into the towers from the water in horror. He worked in one of the towers.  He went in late that day.  My brother-in-law (not at the time) was working 2 blocks away. No one heard from him for hours; he was okay.  My sorority sister lost her best family friends on one of the flights that flew into the tower.  My other roommate's boyfriend (now husband) was from NYC and lost a handful of people he knew.

I will never ever forget that day.  It's like it was yesterday.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Sometimes it seems that somthing that happened a year ago feels like forever but I'm with you - 9/11 does not feel like it has been 10 years.

[shelly]

There are so many stories of people that I know personally who, they themselves, or a family member, were delayed for some reason and didn't make it into the city that day.... it just wasn't meant for them to be there at 'that moment'

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

The morning of 9/11/2001, I was in the car on my way to school.  The new year had just begun and I was mulling over lesson plans, what to do about a few of my "less-than-well-behaved" new students, etc. when I heard the news on the radio.  It took awhile for me to "get" that this was real and that it wasn't some "War of the Worlds" type hoax.  Like you, Jane, I mourn the loss of innocence and trust.  I hate what those acts of terror have done to our collective psyche as a nation and as a people.  However, I also was (and continue to be) impressed by America and Americans - by the acts of sacrifice and heroism, by how we came together as a nation, by (as you said) the "goodness in the face of all that evil".  When I travel, although I'm not crazy about the inconvenience of the long screening lines, I'm grateful for the efforts to keep me safe and for the reminder of WHY it has to happen in the first place.  In this issue, as well as many others, we must remember and learn from history lest the negatives be repeated.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Deanna - I ALWAYS say thank you to the screeners as I strip my jacket, scarf and shoes off.  Strip search me - I don't care.  Scan me - big deal.  It is the price we pay to try to stay safe in the air.  But I can fondly remember those days when someone could meet you or walk you to your gate!  You could have liquids - ah - the memories - lol.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

I agree-just do what needs to be  done and stop complaining about it-they are not doing it for fun they are doing it for us!

[Bonnie and Kona]

Beautifully said, Deanna. 

[Ginny Nightingale]

I am sure many people ha the same reactions as you did--the size of the tragedy was so overwhelming. We love just two hours north of NYC so many of our friends work there and weekend here--the first thoughts I had were of them and their families. Thankfully, all were OK. I was teaching Biology at the time to high school students. Another teacher stuck her head in the room and told me a plane hit the towers. I just assumed it was a little plane and was wondering why she looked so distressed. But she then left and there were no announcements or anything, so I just kept teaching. We had a class and a lab, so almost an hour went by before any of us stopped working and left the room. By then, it was after 9 am and the entire rest of the school was glued to TVs in their classrooms--I was the only one who had kept teaching--perhaps in the entire state! It was so shocking to see what had already happened--we got it all in one quick dose as my students and I walked into the neighboring classroom and watched the replays. 

Needless to say, the rest of the day was filled with children crying, sharing and worrying--but you have to be very strong when with the kids, so we adults kept it together until we got home. 

I agree that the world was changed for everyone that day--many feel that the wars we are fighting can be won, but there is no war that can give us true victory--a reestablishment of our feeling of safety in our country. 

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Thank you for posting Jane.

[DeeDee and Sheila]

Oh my Allyson.  How traumatic.  I CANNOT even think of your friend's dad on the ferry!!!!!  It must have seemed so much closer to you East Coasters than it did to me in IL.  I'm surprised some people didn't jump off the ferry in panic.  I hope they were all hugging each other as support.

I am almost embarrassed to say I was getting my coffee drink, ran home to watch from my safe family room.  Called DH. Called kids.  We were HORRIFIED, yet safe.  

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

DeeDee did you feel safe?  I was still living in my small town birthplace, across the lake from Chicago in Michigan and I didn't feel safe.  I was worried that they were going to attack all the major cities, the Whitehouse, etc.

[DeeDee and Sheila]

No, I didn't feel safe.  I didn't know if I should go pick up the kids at school.  I was sort of scared bacause I wasn't working and didn't have a group of people around me.  That is why I called DH and said, what should I do?  What are people there doing?  

But I don't have the raw trauma of sooooo many Americans who SAW with their own eyes, or fled or bled.  I pray for them all.  Did you see Diane Sawyer's 10 yr later pictures of the babies they took the pictures of ten yrs ago that lost their dads?  Unbelievable.  Those kids are now 10.