story5083.xml

story5083.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

Dear: America

Hello, My name is Gloria Jackson. I am 36 years old, married to a wonderful man (William) and the mother of two of Gods most beloveth blessings, a daughter(Morgan 8yrs) and a son (Noah) 22months. The day of September 11, 2001 was like any other day( so I thought). I awoke that morning shortly after my husband headed off to work to get my daughter ready for school. I went through my normal routine of dressing the baby and making sure they both had breakfast. When the clock read 7:45 me and the children set off in the car to take Morgan to school. It was a beautiful morning. I remember it well because as I was driving down Hargrove Road the sun was so bright in my view of driving that I had to put the sun visor down to able myself to see. Noah, was being a character as usual, playing in the car seat, while Morgan was wondering out aloud what the school days lunch would be, because she did'nt want to eat spinach!. I laughed and said "for your sake I hope that its pizza" and she replied "Wow, I do too!". When I drove up to the front of the school building I stopped the car and helped Morgan out of her seatbelt. I gave her a big kiss and told her to have a "wonderful" day. She gave me a big smile and said okay Mom, you too,and I love ya!. I waited in the car until she went into the building and drove off. Noah was cooing in the back, and I started singing his favorite song as I drove along. "The itsy, bitsy spider" always tickled him and still does to this day!. As I drove down McFarland Blvd., a shorter route home, the sun was still so very bright that I decided in that moment that I would not take him to daycare and me and him would go back to the house and bond a little bit more. We made it home and I put him inside his play yard and preceeded to pour myself a cup of coffee and listen to the morning news with Diane Sawyer. I remember the broadcast that morning because she was about to interview someone about decorating and I being a homemaker was very interested. During the telecast, Diane jokingly made a comment to Charles ( his last name escapes me, please do forgive me)and they both laughed. As I was about to go into the bedroom to retrieve a notebook, I heard Diane say " We have breaking news out of New York", I turned around midway, and as she was speaking there in the background of the Good Morning America telecast was a split screen of a metro area with alot of big buildings in view and one of them was on fire. The news was very sketchy. I could tell the broadcasters were having a difficult time trying to relay to the public what was happening. I heard Charles say " there has been a terrible tragedy, a plane has flown into one of the twin towers. As that was unfolding, I was shocked at what I say, I picked up Noah and sit on the sofa and continued to stay trans-fixed to the television. As I continued to watch with sad amazement, I then saw what every unfortunate person who was watching the broadcast saw, as another plane hit the other tower!!!. I was just astonishingly shocked and horrified!. I grabbed the remote to turn the channel to CNN news and they were broadcasting the terrible crash also. It seemed as though every television channel was now focused on the fact of the plane crashes. I sat on the sofa holding Noah and trying to stay composed but deep inside of me I felt scared for some reason. I guess it could have been from the true horror of what I was viewing on TV or the frightened look of utter shock from the broadcasters on every channel who tried with professionalism to rely the facts as they came in. Then it happened!! the World Trade buildings started to collaspe!!. My heart just dropped and I started to cry a silent cry for fear of upsetting Noah. There was more breaking news about the Pentagon being hit and the White House being evacuated. I was so afraid, but my inner peace which I know only comes from God, kept me serene through it all. I called my husband and told him to tune to the T.V. or radio and to come home if at all possible because I just didn't know whether America was under seige or what. I wanted to call everyone I knew and try to warn them personally. I called my sisters job and left word for her to call me. and I thought about checking my daughter out of school but was reassured when the school system said that they were handling the matter of the childrens safety. As the hours of that long day progressed... there was more shocking details of the tragedy that came out and just an over whelming saddness in the nation. I cried many times that day for the lost of the innocent people and the tragedy felt by the entire world. I hope to never in my life as God gives me each day that he deems... to never witness anything as horrific and tragic as what I saw that day of September 11, 2001. My heart goes out to all those loving souls who died for the freedom of the United States and for which it stands. I hope and pray that we all as Americans can take from this tragedy a respect for our fellow man and know that life is a gift and we are so very blessed to be in a country which values life and liberty and justice for all and that this horrible event in our history (as profoundly terrible and sad as it is) can bridge us all in a direction of unity and strengthen us in the years to come. May God bless this nation and the souls within..

Thank you.

Gloria Jackson