I am terrible at writing sentimental things and I'm not poetic. What I am is, grateful to live in this amazing country with so many wonderful people. 10 years ago I was playing with my only child who was just 1 year old when I got a phone call from my mother-in-law telling me to turn on the news. I still remember the sick feeling I got as I started watching, I remember the fear that washed over me, looking at my baby wondering what the world was going to become. Over the next few days I remember the feeling of pride in my country as I watched the news and listened to the acts of service that were rendered and was inspired by all the people that stepped up and did their part.
Leave a comment and share your feelings, where were you, how did you feel? What are you doing today to remember?
I was working and couldn't wait to get to my baby who was at the sitter's. We discussed the events today as a family and prayed for healing.
ReplyDeleteI was planting grass seed in the front yard when the neighbor told me that a plane had hit the trade center tower in New York. I thought it must have been a bad malfunction of an aircraft and continued to seed the lawn. After I finished with the lawn I came into the house and turned on the TV just in time to see the second plane hit the other tower. This actually hit me as a terrorist act and the rest of the day I was glued to the TV. By the end of the day I was just numb with no emotion and could not believe that anyone could or would want to do this to our country. Being in the city that they brought President Bush, I am sure I saw the black Airforce one with the squadron of jet fighters escorting the President to SAC airbase streak across the sky as they were landing at the airbase. As the days past and the whole plan unfolded the horror of it all began to sink into my soul. How could anyone put together a plan to destroy three prominent buildings two of which were high security. Only the heroic acts of those on flight 93 saved the White House from being hit as well. It was an awful day in the history of the United States. I can now understand what my parents went through when they heard of the bombing of pearl harbor.
ReplyDeleteI was driving to work at 5:45am when a news flash came across the radio tell of an airplane that flew into a skyscraper in NY. I had thoughts of King Kong. I thought the air plane was the size of a crop duster. WRONG. When I go to work @ an ag irrigation district, I ask that the TV be changed from Bonanza to the news. I don't think that any of us even knew what the World Trade Center was. We just wondered how they would rescue those people above the flames when we watched the second air plane hit. Astounding. Listening to the radio a short time later we heard reports of a 3rd and 4th accident/attack. Once it was determined that it was an attack I could only feel anger. I was so "pissed" for most of the day. How dare anyone do something like this to my country.
ReplyDeleteWatching the reports looking back at those events made me just as pissed as I was ten years ago. Pissed and yet so very proud to be an American.
Amen.
i was an ignorant sophmore at Kingwood High School walking to my next class... someone in the hallway told me the world trade center had been hit by a plane. I wasn't sure what the WTC was, but the remainder of the school day showed me what they were!
ReplyDeleteI remember wanting to call my dad to tell him to leave his high rise downtown Houston building (Chevron).
Today I played with my 11 month old baby boy while we watched dedicatory programs recounting the experiences and home videos from NYC. My emotions confused me as I cheered on my baby who is learning to walk, yet screams and devastation were all of the noise in the background. It made me love him more and appreciate our life together. It made me want to turn off the TV, but I couldn't.. I was captivated by the unbelievable reality.
It's moments like this that instill gratitude for the great things you have.
I was at work, watching my supervisor cry because she couldn't contact her sister who works at the pentagon. Her sister finally called her 2hrs later to let her know she was ok. All I could think was I want to pick up my kids and go home. Funny how we flock to family like a protective mother hen. Thinking if only we can be with our children we could somehow save them from this saddness.
ReplyDeleteI decided yesterday I would not watch the news coverage or read any of the stories. I just wanted to go on about my business and not relive that day. Yesterday afternoon someone sent me a video of the news coverage that caught the second plane crashing into the WTC. I watched it with my 16yr old son and cried. That day will live on in all of us. THe fear, destruction, death, anger and helplessness. How can people still think it couldn't happen to them. It could just as easily been any of us on those planes, in those buildings. Be thankful for the people you care about, for the life you have, and for the country you love. This is one day we all cried together.
On 9/11/2001 all my coworkers and I left our offices to crowd around the television in the conference room to watch the days tragedies unfold. I had previously scheduled the afternoon off to oversee the pouring of my concrete steps. About noon I called the individual that I had contracted to and asked if he wanted to reschedule. His reply was "Of course not, there is work to do." I thought he was a little callous but in retrospect, I appreciated his attitude. He was emotionally drained like the rest of us but he was not going to let terrorists affect his work so he forged ahead with his work and his life. Many times when I walk up and down those steps I think about 9/11/2001 because they were poured on that day.
ReplyDeleteSoon after 9/11/2001, I found out a coworker, Leslie Whitington who had occupied an office next to mine and had moved on to another job, died along with her husband and two children on the airplane that crashed into the Pentagon. They were on their way to Australia and a new job. That was a real emotional trauma because I knew her. When my son takes me for visits at the Pentagon where he works I go visit the memorial where she and her family are honored.