I was still in bed, lazily avoiding the invitable when my husband, who I believed had already left for work, came running up the stairs and said "turn to CNN, a plane just hit the world trade center".
We turned on the news and were amazed at this tragic accident that had happened and wondered what could have gone wrong to make a plane do that. Then the second plane hit.
I remember thinking "this can't really be happening. This is the stuff of movies." It was so unreal to see the plane hit, the towers fall, and people running through the streets trying to get ahead of the invading cloud of debris filled dust. I could have been watching the latest action movie, but it was real.
Being on the west coast, we weren't immediately in the middle of the tragedy, but as the rest of the nation, we felt "hit" as well. This was something that happened to America as a whole, not just a small pair of buildings in a small state on the other side of the country.
My neighbor lost someone he worked with, my friend's parents were flying that day and didn't know if it was her parents flight for a long while (thankfully not), a man down the street who is a firefighter volunteered at his own expense to go across the country and help search for survivors.
We would continue to learn of what had really happened, the third plane and the heroic passengers aboard, people who through harried lateness were away from the office when the tragedy happened, the unity, love and service that swept over the rough and gruff New Yorkers.
America seemed to put aside petty differences and truly become the United States. Politicians, for once, seemed to be on the same page. It is sad that it takes something so horrific to bring people together and how quickly we forsake that unity.
My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost loved ones, the heroic men and women who fought to save lives, and for our great country - "one nation, under God" - that God will continue to bless it and save us from ourselves.
Tags:
thank you. United States indeed
ReplyDeletethanks for letting me drop in and share your memory from that day.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed (that doesn't seem the correct word) reading everyone's account. It's something we all have in common.
I too was in bed. Erica came in and turned on the TV. I was blown away.
ReplyDeleteI was working at a car dealership at the time, and had to work that day. We saw nary a soul.
It was a horrible thing.
I was at my desk, a guy in my office stuck his head in my door and said a plane hit the tower. I was hoping not too many people were hurt, picturing a little two passenger plane or something. Then, after the 2nd one hit, it became clear it WAS NOT an accident. We didn't get radio reception in our building, or have a tv, none of the news sites could be reached because of traffic... we called loved ones trying to gather news. We'd heard accounts of at least three other planes (in addition to the two in NY city) and I didn't find out till later the details of the washington dc attack, and later still about the event in Penn.
ReplyDeleteShocking, yes, but, inspiring in how the whole country and other parts of the world joined in our grief and united to inspire and uphold on another during that difficult time.
My son wasn't even born then, and, while I'm not exactly happy about him living in these slightly more troubled times, I've heard accounts from parents who watched helplessly as their young children tried to process the tragedy and the fears their small and innocent minds took in.