nmah6407.xml

nmah6407.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2004-01-17

I remember Sept. 11, 2001 as a beautiful, warm fall day. The sun was so bright, the sky so blue. I was preparing breakfast for my students when one of their parents called me on the phone and said, "Please turn on CNN news and tell me what you see. I have a client on the phone (she works for a major bank in town) and her office faces The World Trade Center towers and she says thick, black smoke is pouring out of it, she is hysterical and screaming and I can't make her listen to me..." I quickly flipped on the news and all I could say as, "Ohmygod...ohmygod...this is serious!" I don't remember serving breakfast, only watching as the events unfolded. I started getting phone calls from friends/neighbors saying America was being attacked, a plane had gone down in a field, another hit the Pentagon. I got on the phone to my father who is blind and he turned on the TV, and I told him what we were both seeing. He was literally speechless. Then, while I was watching the TV, the second plane came into view and I said to my father, "Oh dear Lord...Dad, a plane is going past the buring tower...I can't imagine what those poor people trying to land at either airport must be thinking at this moment!" and then that plane hit the second tower. I just started crying and my father said, "I am going to hang up now. You need to be with your family and those children." Parents came early and picked their children up, and I remember standing out in my front lawn on that beautiful, beautiful day and saying, "We'll never be the same again. What is going on?" Needless to say, my husband came home early and wanted to re=enlist in the military (he retired in 1995) and we all just sat around the TV and watched and cried. My oldest son, on the morning those towers came down, was on his way to the Navy recruiter building for his final testing to head to boot camp. When it crosses my mind nowadays, I lift up a prayer to all those who were lost, the families they left behind, the rescue squads who fearlessly went forth to do their jobs and who made it home and who didn't,those who were maimed, and for the countless people who worked in the hospitals, churches, served food and drink and donated so many items to help make the search and recovery more tolerable, and to the people who are going through "post traumatic stress" and for those who are helping still with the aftermath of these events, I thank in prayer.

I was afraid to fly as a family unit, and for the first time in 23 years August 2000 I flew with my husband and daughter to New Orleans to see family. Everyone was amazed that I traveled on the same aircraft with them. But now, witnessing what I did that morning, I haven't flown since. I know I am letting those responsible "win" in some way by altering my life this way, but I can't help it. If we can't take a train or drive ourselves, we aren't going.

I think we should remember the thousands who lost their lives. I think we should remember those families who lost one or more loved ones in the horrific events of that day.
And I think we should remember the rescue workers who worked so tirelessly to search and do what had to be done. And to remember that we, as Americans, when it truly counted...stuck together and drew as one to show that we aren't going to take this sitting down and we aren't going to cry and shake our heads but stand strong together.

I became a US Citizen April 1982. I've lived here since 1964. I've always been taught to stop and be still when the National Anthem is played and to put my hand over my heart and be quiet. I love the American Flag and fly it all the time. It makes me sad that kids today have not been taught to respect it. My two sons (being raised military of couse) always knew when a flag went by, they stopped and took their caps off. When the National Anthem is played at ball games, etc. they stand at attention. My two boys even stood up during the National Anthem in our own living room when we had company for the World Series, and it made me proud. Nothing has changed my feelings for the flag. It's always been strong and unwavering.