nmah1488.xml

nmah1488.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-08

I am a school teacher and heard the news that one of the twin towers had been struck by an airplane while in the car on my way to school. I thought it was a tragic accident until hearing just after it happened that the second tower had been struck by a plane.

My heart froze in my chest and I started getting teary as I realized this was clearly an act of war or terrorism. It was around 5 minutes after hearing of the second tower being struck that I arrived at school for a faculty meeting. I did not want to turn the radio off and miss anything.

I met another teacher in the parking lot at the school and had the sad duty of telling her of the attacks. It felt surreal sitting in the faculty meeting trying to normally discuss issues related to the functioning of the school while I was in shock over the attack.

I teach first graders and due to the time our school starts, none of my students saw or heard about the attack before school. I did not want to cause them trauma, so made the decision to not discuss the event with them that day.

Going about a normal day of teaching when something was so terribly wrong was probably the most difficult thing I've ever done as a teacher. My classroom aide spent much of the day in another room listening to the radio and bringing me whispered reports of what she was hearing. At lunch we all gathered around the radio as we tried to eat. This is when the fear seemed to impact me most--when I realized the 2002 Winter Olympics would be in my hometown. On that day, at that time, it felt as if there was a big target on my home. I wasn't sure if there would be an Olympics or if I wanted them here. Mostly, I just remember that it all seemed surreal. I didn't want to believe it, but couldn't deny reality.

When I got home that night and turned on the television, it became even more frightening to actually see the events I had heard about throughout the day. I was shocked and saddened and had a great amount of empathy for those who were missing family members.

The following day I began the day with a short discussion with my first graders about the attack. I tried to reassure them that their parents and I as their teacher will do everything we can to keep them safe. I gave them time to talk to each other and me about their feelings, but then moved on with the normal routine of the day.

As the week continued, I became encouraged by the blessings and positive actions that occured in such tragedy. The way many countries throughout the world joined the U.S. in shock and mourning was touching. The stories of everyday heroes who saved lives, or just helped victims of the attacks such as those who were giving out water to the people fleeing the towers, the teachers and principal of the Leadership school that had to be evacuated. The tragic heroism of Todd Beamer and those on that flight who sacrificed themselves for the safety of others.

September 11, 2001 is a day I will never forget. It will always evoke a myriad of emotions in me from sorrow over those lost to pride in our country's response to gratefulness for the freedoms I have as a United States Citizen.

My life has changed in subtle ways since September 11, 2001. I am more conscious of my freedoms and blessings as an American. I am less impatient and more caring of others. I am sometimes fearful of other acts of terrorism, but refuse to let that fear keep me from going about my life. I have always been respectful of firefighters, policemen, and members of the armed forces, but my respect for those groups is much greater than ever. I feel they deserve to be paid and treated better by society than they are. They risk their lives day in and day out to protect us.

I went to the 2002 Winter Olympics, which was a wonderful time of healing for me. I enjoyed interacting with people from all over the world. The friendliness and peacefulness of the crowds despite very long lines in cold weather to get through security helped restore my faith in humanity. The fact that the games were safe and secure also helped me feel more secure about my own safety.

I think I lost a very naive feeling of security that I had before the terrorist attacks of September 11th. Before that day I would not have thought much about national or personal security beyond the ordinary locking of doors at home. Now there is always a part of me that knows it could happen here and it could happen to me, when before it wasn't even a imaginable.

The heroic actions of firefighters and police officers. The heroic actions of ordinary people who went to work that day, and helped others, comforted others, saved lives, or gave their own lives. The heroic actions of those on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. Remember the victims and their families. The way our country rallied together in support for the victims. We showed our strength, even as we were fearful and vulnerable.

I have always been a patriotic person. I live in an apartment where a flag could not be seen, but still have an American flag in my car window.

My feelings about my flag and my country have intensified since September 11th because they are symbols of my personal freedoms and reminders of those who fought and died to give me the freedoms I have.

We say the Pledge of Allegiance in my classroom daily and I try to help my students understand the meaning behind the words and the symbol and respect it.