story5408.xml

story5408.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

I woke up the morning of September 11 and went about my day just like I had every morning. My 2 year old wanted to watch his morning video while he munched his breakfast so I turned on the TV. I saw the image of the towers on the screen and it took a minute to register that was the World Trade Center and it was on fire. I thought at first the Today Show was doing a movie preview and then I saw the words "live coverage" on the bottom of the screen. I stood there in disbelief and heard the report and saw the footage of the second tower being hit I sank down on the couch where I remained for most of the rest of the day.

I called family and friends anyone I could think of not just to make them aware of it but because I needed someone to share my horror and fear with. I could barely do the normal daily things my son needed from me. Here he was so young and unaware dancing around I wished for his innocence so I to could escape realizing the the truth in what I had just witnessed. I worried for his future and that of my unborn child due in April. What kind of world was he coming into. I did not know if we would be plunged into war if more attacks would come and I felt helpless to protect my children and their future.

As I watched the coverage I clung to the hope that rescues would come. But hour after hour passed and no one was being found. It was an awesome realization that hit home so hard there would not be any more survivors. As the day progressed I dealt with thoughts beyond the immediate tradgedy. We had been attacked, an act of war, on American soil, it was unbelieveable. I live not far from a small airport I was terror stricken because planes fly to the Twin Cities from our little airport. Any city with big buildings could be a target I did not relax until I heard all the planes had been grounded and all were down and accounted for.

Like I had never before I suddenly felt vulnerable to the conflicts and ideals of those outside our borders. I, like most Americans of my generation had always watched these things unfold on the news somewhere else in some other country, not here, not on American soil. I felt helpless and scared I wanted to do something to help. But how do you help people across the country. A single Mom I had no money to spare to send to the funds. I was expecting my second child so I could not give blood. I went out the next day to the grocery store because I had to, life was going on inspite of the tradgedy but it felt so wrong. There were all those people dead all those people who lost their loved ones. I was in the store and I saw a stand of flags I grabbed one, finally I felt like there was something I could do I could display the flag show my solidarity with the rest of America. I wept as I paid for it carried it home and hung it on my porch.

I grew up in a generation without fear. We had no conflicts like this, the Gulf War occured when I was in high school but the might of our armed forces made short work of that. I grew up with the security of living in the Greatest Nation on earth. And here we were sent to our knees by an extremist act on our own soil. But every where I went in the days that followed September 11, I saw the displays of the American flag and I had hope.

I do live in the Greatest Nation on earth and the people of this country cannot be intimmidated, won't be held down by radical extremists, or by any person, or nation that would threaten us. I bought a shirt with the American flag and the words UNITED WE STAND, it seem like such an insignificant thing to wear it as my contribution when others helped by giving their lives, by working the recovery and rescue effort, by giving blood, or their money. But it is not a small gesture, displaying the flag is standing with America in her time of need, it is a show of unity, of pride, of commitment, and conviction to the ideals of this country. And in that I knew I was doing my part as an American. I am proud to belong to this nation, GOD BLESS AMERICA.