Where were you?

11 Sep

I’m sure I won’t be the only person to write about this today, and I know it’s not an original topic to write about but I feel that the tenth anniversary of September 11th is too important to let pass by.

I always thought it was strange that my parents, and grandparents could still remember where they were the moment they heard that JFK had been shot. As a kid, it seemed like something that happened a million years ago, how can they remember it so vividly? On September 11th, 2001 I would understand how dates and places could be so permanently etched into a person’s memory. We all know what happened that day. We all can see how completely the world has changed since then. I’m sure even the people who were small children ten years ago can remember hearing about it or seeing the new coverage. I know the images of that day and the days and years that followed will be with me for the rest of my life.

On September 11th, 2001, I was 21 years old and a month into my senior year of college. I was at home since I didn’t have any classes until three on Tuesdays and I was lucky enough to have the day off of work. I had just woken up and went downstairs when I found my mother in her room, riveted to whatever was on TV. I walked in to investigate and saw smoke billowing out of the first tower. I can still remember staring at the TV completely dumb founded as I watched the second plane hit. What the hell was happening? I sat at the end of my mother’s bed watching the news coverage and I was there watching when the first tower fell. I was still there when the second tower went down beside its twin. And as the new coverage continued, we learned about the crash at the Pentagon and in that rural field in Pennsylvania. My heart ached for all those people, but my first reaction was anger. I was pissed. How dare someone commit such an act on the country I loved and innocent people who were just going about their day. I wanted swift and immediate revenge on whomever was responsible for such horrible acts.

Then I was scared. Ten years ago my father was still working. Ten years ago today my father was boarding a flight from California to come home. In the first hours no one knew what the plan had been, or if there were more targets, it was all speculation. If they had targeted flights from the east coast to the west, then maybe they had targeted flights from west to east. With all flights grounded for the foreseeable future, my father was forced to drive across the country to get home to his family. I felt a roller coast of emotions that I’m sure a lot of people felt that day and in the days that followed; I was so happy that my family was safe, but I was also devastated for all the innocent lives that were lost.

Here we are ten years later and I still can’t watch anything about that day without having to choke back the tears. As I type this and think back to that day I’m having to blink back the tears because the pain still feels so fresh. They were saying on Good Morning America yesterday morning that tragic events tend to stick in our minds easier than everything else and I think that is an unfortunate truth. I can’t tell you what I was doing on September 10th, but I can tell you everything about my day on September 11th. I watched Good Morning America this morning until the first moment of silence at 8:46 this morning, I couldn’t watch anymore. I’ve been trying to avoid the TV today to avoid seeing all the tributes, it’s just too sad. I did catch a State Farm commercial that had me in tears all over again. To see it for yourself, click HERE.

My heart goes out to all the victims and their families on this tenth anniversary, no one should have to go through the pain of losing a loved one in such a horrific manner. I’m thankful for all our servicemen and women who risk it all to keep us safe and all the brave solders who gave their lives for their country. I am truly proud to be an American!

So where were you on September 11th, 2001?

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