story6167.xml

story6167.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-12

I can remember the feelings I had on September 11th one year ago. Like most of my classmates in our rural Pennsylvanian school, I just couldn't believe what I saw on the television. My initial thoughts were, "This is so unreal. It can't be happening." It just seemed like something in a movie, only worse. I don't even think a movie director could come up with a series of events as devastating as the ones that unfolded on that dreadful day.

There are so many things that go through your mind when you see something so drastic occur. You just have to wonder, "Why?" We live in a nation where everything seems so calm, so serene. Other than the shootings and robberies that occur in cities and other metropolitan areas, we really aren't aware of the horrible things that go on in the world. It's true that we learn about the conditions of third-world countries in World Cultures class, and hear about the conflicts of the Middle-East on CNN, but we really don't get to experience these happenings first-hand and really feel what those people feel. Well, now we did, and to tell you the truth, I'd rather not have to go through something like that ever again.

I must admit that September 11th really did not have that great of an effect on me. Obviously it was tough to go through, and emotionally exhausting to think about all of the people that died, but I never really saw what happened. The news reports and video clips do no justice to the real thing. Part of me regrets not physically being in New York City when it all happened. I know it must have been a terrible thing to watch, but it's a part of our history, and unless you were actually there when the planes hit, or when the buildings fell, you really don't know what it was like. In addition to not experiencing the reality of the tragedy, I also had no connection to any of the people that died in those buildings, which is something I'm proud to admit. Because of this, I really did not feel the sorrow that many of the people I know have felt.

New York City today is a very different place. The disappearance of the buildings has blemished the city skyline, and still brings tears to the eyes of our nation's citizens every day. One thing I will regret is never having had the opportunity to view the "Twin Towers." There was one time in my life when my family took at trip to the Statue of Liberty and I was able to see the city from a distance. However, it was a cloudy day and the towers were just fuzzy giants across the river. Since the day of terror, I have been lucky enough to visit New York City. All that remains of the towers, however, is a large hole.

In the future, I hope that all Americans will remember what we have been blessed with. The rights we have and the possessions we own are things that we take for granted. It's time that this changes. Our country is an amazing place, and there's no place that I'd rather be.