nmah2943.xml

nmah2943.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-10

The first thing I do in the morning after waking is shower. Part of my shower routine is to listen the NPR. Listening to the radio with water runs tends to distort what the commentary is. On the morning of September 11 I could hear them talking about the World Trade Center. The report was discussing shock and tragedy. I thought that they were talking about the bombing that had happened there a few years earlier. I started thinking about if it could be the anniversary date but was certain it hadn't happened in September. Shutting off the water the true story hit me. As I wake at 6:30 am the first plane attack had happened just before I awoke. The shock of the tragety hit me hard. I had just returned from a trip to Boston the night before. My return was supposed to be on the 9th, but there were weather problems at my connecting flight in Detroit. As a result I didn't return to Oregon until late in the afternoon on the 10th. The morning of the 11th left many of my friends and coworkers panicked, none of them knew if I had made it home. They also didn't know if I had been on one of the Boston planes. Many things changed for me that day. Somehow work didn't seem quite as important as it had. Instead, spending time with my friends and family had more clout. My life may have changed over the past year, but I think it was for the better. I am so grateful that I left Boston when I did.