My sister-in-law is getting sworn in as a US citizen today.
My heart goes back eight years today.
I was enjoying my new life living close to home. I was enjoying my first home. I was enjoying my month old baby boy J. I was getting C and A ready for school when D called from work telling me that a plane had flown into one of the world trade centers in NYC. I quickly turned on the news. I watched in disbelief that a plane could actually run into a skyscraper. I sat there on the edge of my bed watching the news reporter cover the story when right behind her was another plane that flew right into the other world trade center. I remember her response. Suddenly everything was very different. I got my kids off to school. I returned to the television and sat there in a trance for hours. I watched each building tumble to the ground. My mouth open wide, tears flowing down my face, in shock at the horror I was witnessing. Only to realize that it was then the pentagon and a plane in Pennsylvania. That left fear wondering if it would be my city next. The coverage that day and the days following will never leave my mind. The faces, the dust, the pleas, the heroes, the missing heroes.
I remember our country after that. It seems as though everyone had a flag hanging in front of their homes. Flags and flag magnets that said, "Never forget" were on every one's cars. We were united.
Eight years later, I haven't forgotten. Our country is full of survivors. Our country is full of wonderful people. It may not be a perfect country. It may not be run by perfect people. But...it's great. I'm grateful for those that serve our country. I'm grateful for those that say they love our country rather than find all kinds of things to complain about.
To all those affected by 9/11, I'll never forget. It's important that we don't!Where were you?
4 comments:
I was on my mission in Oakland California. They shut down all the bridges from Oakland to San Francisco and millions of people either were stuck in the city and couldn't get on or off the peninsula. That was the only time on my mission that we went to a members home to watch the news. I'll tell you, we had more investigators after this tragedy.
I was working for an airline at the time and it was one of the saddest times in my life. People were calling in trying to get to there families in NY, people wanting to leave the City. People crying to you on the phone about a friend or a loved one that they couldn't find.... Days and days of phone calls.
I live on a hill that over looks the airport and at night you can see the planes lined up to land. I remember for three nights after 9/11 looking out the window and not seeing a single light near the airport. It was so sad and for the first time in my life I felt terror.
I'm also grateful for my country and the people who serve in our military. I'm grateful for my freedoms and the choices I have everyday. It is important that we don't forget that day!!
Wow. I remember that too. It was also a day I would NEVER forget. Thanks for the reminder.
Thanks for the blog Ton. May we never forget that day.
Stew
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