story5071.xml

story5071.xml

born-digital

story

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2002-09-11

I thought that the most defining historical moment in my life would be Nixon?s declaring the War in Vietnam was over or the flight to Chicago when we heard that Challenger had exploded.

I had hoped that Challenger or the Gulf War would have been the historical world event that my children would remember since they were young then and the impact was not so great.

It was a beautiful morning a year ago, the sky was blue, a gentle breeze with warm temperatures, a perfect Tuesday morning to walk to work. My oldest was to graduate from trade school on the coming Sunday, my daughter was thrilled with the start of her last year in high school, and my youngest was looking forward to playing football. In a matter of minutes, our lives changed.

I saw my co-worker leaving the office and walk toward the local bar as I crossed the street. He spotted me and shouted ?Come on, a plane has hit the World Trade Center.? Over the next several minutes, we watch the flames and discussed how such an accident could have happened. More people kept coming in to watch the newscasts. We all sat in disbelief as the second plane struck. Questions about who, why, how could they. Discussions about going to war, what this will do our life style, will they attack here?

We though that it was over, they had mostly failed, the towers were still standing. Anger over the needless loss of innocent lives but the towers stood and many will be saved. Gasps and screams as the first tower fell, absolute silence as the second collapsed. Some went home, some went back to their jobs, everyone had TVs and radios on, it was a day in limbo.

It has effected all of us emotionally and to a lesser extent personally. Five days after 9-11, my son graduated as a certified aviation mechanic. First one job and then another cut back as civil (private) aviation dropped to almost nothing. He tried to get a job with a larger company that wanted to hire him before 9-11, but there are now hiring freezes and people with years of experience also looking for jobs. He is now using his mechanic skills in another field but is not happy that he cannot work on airplanes. He is lucky as many of his classmates are at minimum wage while trying to pay back large school loans. Our daughter changed her plans for traveling this summer. She still flew but not the major trip she had planned. My youngest wonders what his class trip to Washington will be like this year. Even at work we look at travel differently as well as if what we build could become terrorist targets.

My apologies but I will not try and forget 9-11. I will try to forgive those who did it but forgiveness does not mean they are not to be held accountable and punished for their actions. We are Americans, we have the courage and the strength to survive and prosper. We should not forget nor allow the world to forget what happened on 9-11. As the Japanese Admiral Yamoto said after the attack on Peril Harbor. ?I fear that all we had done is to awaken a sleeping giant.? It is time again for the giant to awake and say this will not be tolerated in the world.

My hope and prayers to everyone who has lost someone close to them due to 9-11. May you find courage, relief, and comfort and may none of us ever have to experience another 9-11.