nmah5344.xml

nmah5344.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-12-21

I was driving around Fredericksburg, VA preparing for a trip. I was planning to lead a group of 12 college students from Mary Washington College on a trip to New York City. We were planning to leave at 7 am on the morning of September 12. I stopped at the local drug store to purchase a battery for my travel alarm clock when I overheard the clerks talking about a plane that had "clipped" the World Trade Centers. I didn't really think much of it so I drove to the local AAA to pick up maps for the drive. The woman behind the counter looked very strangely at when I asked for maps to NYC and said, "Have you heard what is going on there?" I got in my car, turned on the radio and immediately called my supervisor. He asked me to come straight to his office to discuss our intended trip. We quickly came to the conclusion that the trip must be canceled. As I walked out of the office, I saw the first tower fall. I came to my office and arrived there just in time to see the second tower collapse.

I was greeted by students and staff who were staring blankly at the TV screen. Some had eyes filled with tears, others were frantically trying to contact loved ones who worked at the WTC, in the Pentagon or in DC somewhere. I tried to go about my business; calling the students who were planning to go to New York and explaining that the trip had been cancelled. Some completely understood. Others, still in a daze or who had not had their TV or radio on, were upset that the trip was cancelled and wanted an explanation.

We held a meeting later that day. The student government officers and other administrators were present. The students suggested holding a midnight vigil so that students, faculty and staff could express their grief and support each other. At midnight, approximately 1200 members of the Mary Washington College community came together. We lit candles and held each other as each person experienced and expressed their grief in their own unique way. It was a truly moving experience and one that I will never forget; to feel the love, support and grief of an entire community is quite remarkable.

September 11 reminded me of how fragile our lives are. It reminded me that we genuinely need to live each day as our last; to leave no word unsaid and no good deed undone. It also impressed upon me that we are truly members of a community. We are responsible for and accountable to each other. The heroes who gave their lives and who worked to save others understood this and lived this ideal. I hope that I reflect some of that commitment in my daily life.

I think we need to remember how incredibly important it is to be kind to one another. I think we need to remember how important our words and our deeds are to other people. I think we need to remember how horrible it is for one person to impose his or her will on millions of others. We need to remember that fanaticism of any kind is evil. I think we need to remember that heroes are not people who can throw a ball or sing a song but people who are willing to do whatever it takes to get a job done.

No, I did not fly a flag after the events of September 11th. I think that the United States is a wonderful country to live in and I am proud to be an American. However, I have concerns about some of the knee-jerk Americanism that I saw. I believe it bordered on fanaticism, complete devotion to a set of beliefs and a willingness to do whatever is necessary to defend and promote those values, which is what gave rise to the incidents of September 11 in the first place. I believe that moderation and a willingness to look critically at actions and words is incredibly important.