story3083.xml

story3083.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

I sat, tired and unknowning in my zero hour spanish three class. I looked apon September 11 as any normal day at that time, I looked at that day as a day full of school, work, and four days until my birthday. I dazed off as my spanish teacher went on talking in spanish, which most of it I would not have understood anyways, until two words she said cought my attention, avion (plane) and nueva yor (New York). I tuned in knowing something was differnt because usually we talked only of boring things, like homework and worksheets. I next heard the words muy horrible, very horrible. I sat puzzled trying to figure out what she was saying, but she quickly continued on and thinking that her story was something about her daughter who resides in New York, I let the story slide out of my mind. In english, my next class, the bomb was dropped. Choas had taken our country, America the beautiful, America the strong, in to its ugly hands. Two planes have hit the world trade center, noone knows many more details than that. In my school, TV's are equipped in every room, but according to an announcement at around the same time that I was notified, none were aloud to be turned on and no radio was aloud to be played. All communication to the world and its turmoil was cut off, and as a sophmore, I felt totally helpless, scared, and alone. I wanted to know everything about what had happend and what was going on, I wanted to know about the people in the buildings, about the cause, about the people in the plane, I was totally overwhelmed by sorrow and pain. I have family friends that reside in New York, who I have grown up with, they have a daughter who is around fifteen and a boy who is about seventeen, worry filled my body, I had to know if they were alright. I knew that Gina, the girl, went to a school very close to the Trade Center, ontop of the sorrow, pain, sadness, and all of the other mixed emotions that were going through my body, I soon became filled with panic. Rumors of terriorism, and attacks close to home amoungst other things filled the school. Small pieces of information were released through out the days of school, I learned of the other planes and their situations. It was impossible to "carry on the day like usual" like our principal said because September 11, 2001 was not a usual day, it was a day of pain and death and weakness and chaos, it was a day that will effect the lives of everyone in our country. I snuck into a corner and turned on one of my teachers radios, I called my mom to check on Gina, who at the time was missing, alone with her whole school. (Her school was the school which was a few blocks from ground zero and they had to evaquate unbenounced to the parents of the students and relocate for the day.) When school was finially over, my eyes were glued to the tv. I had so many questions and so much anger for why this had occured but none of them could be answered. It was as though a black curtain fell over our country. Unbelievably though, the hearts of devistated Americans became filled with hope and determination to show pride for our country. The American Flag became as popular to see in our streets, cities, and homes as people were. Charity was being raised everywhere. Where I live at every street corner was a firefighter with a bright yellow boot collecting contrabutions. And out of the tragic times came citizens full of nationalism. The events of September 11, 2001 are un able to be described by words. I cannot express my sorrow for the victems and familys that were directly involved with this event, and I cannot find words to express what a tragic event this was in our country's history. As Americans we must stand tall and together we will one day come through this event. Keep all hearts full of love and acceptance, and all minds full of hope.