story1344.xml

story1344.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-20

I could not hardly believe what I saw on the "Today Show" as I was getting ready for work. As I was getting myself ready, I saw on TV, that the world trade center was on fire, then when the second plane approaching I couldn;t help but wonder, couldn't the second plane see that the towers was on fire, then it too went crashing, into the second tower. I was in shock. I couldn't believe what I just witness on television. As I hurried to get my self out the door, I had to make a stop at one of the hosital's to pick up a volunteer package on a fundraiser that was being planned for the upcoming week. In the lobby, one of the nurses came to the volunteer desk and announced that another plane had cashed into the pentagon. I was breathless. Fearful Thoughts of War, what is to happen next. All I could think of was to pray, pray that where ever my adult young children were, that they would be safe. As I left the hospital to go to work which was 32 miles away at another, hospital in Arnsas Pass, I called the Administration Office, asked if they had been following the news. Everyone listen to the news that day, wondering what would be next. At the end of the day, I went to the fabric shop, looked for materical that reflected red, white and blue. It was to my amazement that other people there were wanting to hold on the the glori of our american colors. That nite, I made over 300 ribbons, I could not stop sewing until the last ribbon was made. I can still hear the sound of the sewing maching, thinking of how something so little as a ribbon could be bonding to all the people I work with and the people unknown to me in New York and across the country. By mid-morning all the ribbons mader,were given out, as one of the volunteers help me pass out ribbons, she broke out in tears, she had lived in France when the war broke out when she was a teenager and the fear and memories of that war surfaced and all I could do was embrace her and whisper, we going to be alright, we just have to Trust in God, and we must be strong for our country, that's the american way. Also that morning we had a ceremony in front of the hospital, one of the adminstritive directors ask that I make a red, white and blue wreath (soon it will be one year & it still stands)as we held our ceremony, a vet driving by on the parking lot stops his truck, gets out (age probably 70ish) watch as I placed the wreath on an essel and saluted the wreath. God Bless the land that I love.-- gloria gooding-Director of Volunteer Service, Aransas Pass, Texas-North Bay Hospital