nmah4409.xml

nmah4409.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-12

I dont live in New York, Penn. or even close to the Pentagon. I live in the Midwest and on September 11,2001 when the attacks began, I was in my car driving out of town to a Doctors appointment. Listening to music and crusin along I was content on this beautiful September morning...until there was a sudden breakthrough. The news of the 1st attack shocked me with dismay. I immediately shifted my thoughts back to my children, all of whom were in school that day and wondering to myself if they were allright. I felt confident they were and with hesitation, I continued to the city for my appointment. I continued listening to the broadcast with total amazement. I reached for my cell phone and called my mother at her job. She updated me on the situation. I persuaded her I would be fine. My doctors appt. didnt last more than 40 minutes. Unfocused, I made my way back to my car, driving through downtown KansasCity, I encountered city blocks closed. I was near all the state and federal buildings and I witness chaos amoung even those thousands of miles away from the terrible scenes of New York. At that time I began to question if there was more to know than what was being told to the media. Every corner I turned people were running in the streets, total dishevil. If things were so bad here what must they be like in New York I asked myself. I rushed home to the television and eagerly awaited for my kids to arrive from school. What impact would this leave on them?? Was this horrible incident the end or was there more to come? Questions enveloped my mind. Hours passed ... I couldnt bare to turn off the television. My mind led me astray to thoughts I never imagined I would encounter in my lifetime. I just kept thinking to myself, " How coud anyone do these unforgivable acts? " I felt so hopeless. I felt grieve for people I had never met in my life. I felt their losses empower me.I wished I could help just one person even. Tears flowed at a steady stream for hours upon end. Days passed and the tension eased, yet the inital impact can never go away. I thank God how truly lucky I am. I have my family and friends and I can never imagine what the victims have had to live through. If it left me with such unbearable images, one cant even begin to think how the true victims had to encounter and will have to continue to live day to day with. I continue to be grateful each passing day. I pray for all the heroes, the victims and I pray our country will NEVER have to go through another day like September 11, 2001.

My life has changed just knowing something like this could really happen. I just never thought anything so terrible could occur in the United States. I truly believed we would never be attacked by anyone. I had always felt secure. I question this now. I realize there truly isnt a 100% gurantee of something occuring again. I question the world and how safe we really are. I fear for my children with every passing day that terriosts can strike again. I remind myself to live in the today and to give thanks and show love to all those in my life everyday. I strive to live life to it's fullest now, because we just never know if and when the unthinkable will come.

All the patriotism and togetherness our country performed. People did not lude the streets and everyone reached out from everywhere. Unity prevailed !!!

I did not have a flag to fly but I did go to local gatherings to show out spirit and pride for all those directly imapcted by Sept. 11 2001. I have a red white and blue ribbion hanging in my car and a picture of the flag in my window at home. I have become more patriotic because of this and my heart goes out to everyone who was affected that day.