nmah6212.xml

nmah6212.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2003-09-12

It was second period; chorus class. We had just finished singing and were getting ready to dismiss. Then came a voice of trepidition and remorse over the PA system. Our principal, next uttered the words that have altered our position in history. We had been attacked. My teahcer Ms. Hermann uttered something to the effect of "oh my." As the targets of the attacks were red I notice people around me crying. THEY had parents at ground zero and the pentagon. THEY felt the loss of the nation tenfold. I walked over to my good friend Buddy Swick adn we sat in silence. We tried to make jokes, but something, even though we didn't realize the extent of our nations injuries, was eating away at our souls. The bell rang and I took the most direct route to my 3rd paeriod class. On the way I passed the Central office, passed many friends of mine crying and anxious to use the phone. In history class, it seemed trifling to talk about about the events of the past, when the tradgedies of the present were strangling our hearts. Our teacher Ms. Conrad refused to be drawn out, saying that she wasn't allowed to talk about it. Class passed restlessly, as teacher and stuident tried to come to terms with this event. The lunch bell rang, but I wasn't hungry and didn't want to see the crying faces of my friends, so i retreated instead to the safety of the library. Inside people were listing to a radio, commenting on thte tragedies. I didn't wnt to be drawn into the conversation, so I instead stood near the outskirts of the group. I recieved much information from the radio but it really did not hit me until I turned on the tv for the first time. I saw the destruction first hand. The wounds of the nation became the wounds of my soul. Even as the commentators continued, i had stopped listening, my mind leaving my body; traveling to ground Zero to give courage to those fighting to survive, to the survivors of those people on those destined planes to stay steadfast in the face of terrorism. It was on every channel. It was in every heart. It is forever eteched on the souls of all Americans, and is something I can never froget. 9/11 is no llon ger just a date in history. It is a test and challenge to our traditions and liberties. It is a challenge that I as an American would gladly fight.