Sunday, September 11, 2011

Where Were You?

Ten years ago, I was a high school senior living in Washington State. The phone rang early, waking me up. I can't remember who answered the phone, mom or my sis, but I could hear them gasp and rush to turn the TV on. Knowing that something was up, I groggily crawled out of bed and made my way out to the living room. The phone call was from dad who was at work and had heard 'the news'. Us three girls stared at the television screen with our mouths gaping, watching a smoking skyscraper.

"Is this a movie?", "Where is this?", "This can't be real!" were some of the words that found their way out of our open lips. As the news reporter's words reached our confused ears, we started to piece together that this was happening in America, it was real and it was a plane that had hit the building.

As if our shock and disbelief was great enough, we watched in horror as our eyes spotted the second plane. Our hearts wrenched as we watched it hit the second tower and we tried to erase it all with our words, "this can't be happening, this can't be real"....

The rest of the day was a spin. It felt horrible getting ready for school as the towers and those people burned. It seemed to heartless to go about the day as if nothing had happened but thankfully all of my classes at school that day kept the news on and allowed us to have much needed discussions.

This memory is entombed in my mind and I wanted to share it with you to encourage you to bring up the details of that day in your life. By sharing where you were and what you were doing, it means we won't forget. And this is a day we can't afford to forget...it cost too many lives.

7 comments:

  1. It's definitely a day I will never forget. I blogged my recap of that day in my life a few years ago. It was so therapeutic just to write it out.
    Queen B's Sept 11th story

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  2. I don't think anyone who was old enough to remember, will ever be able to forget. And I hope none of us do.

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  3. I remember it like it was yesterday and I doubt I'll ever forget it. I was in an Edinburgh pub having a bar lunch with 2 of my work colleagues when the news flash appeared on SKY news, couldn't believe it.

    Peace

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  4. I was getting ready for school, eating with my family. I answered the phone it was the Christian school I attended. I will never forget the words " school is cancelled today for a day of prayer due to what is happening in our nation" I jumped and shrieked for joy which turned to horror as I watched the first tower burning, and then saw the second plane hit. It wasn't until several years later I saw the immensity of what I saw.

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  5. I was on my internship, living in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, which is about 2.5 miles up the island.

    That's all you're getting out of me.

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  6. I was putting my daughter on the bus when the first one fell. I walked in the door and watched as the second tower fell. The horror of that moment will be forever etched into my brain. I started wondering which one of my friends would be deployed. If my husband would have to go... All the questions and no answers knocked me on my butt.

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  7. I was at home and woke up to the Canadian radio station saying a plane flew into the tower. I thought it was a joke cause they always were trying to be funny on the morning show. Then I listened a little more and realized they werent joking. I walked out to the living room and my mom was watching the tv. I asked her if she knew about the planes and she said ya look at the tv. I sat and watched it all day as I hadnt started college classes yet.
    Carrie J.

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Does this straitjacket make my butt look big?