nmah4164.xml

nmah4164.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

I was just getting out of bed (California time) to put my older daughter in
carpool. My husband came in to say a plane had hit the World Trade Center in
NY. I immediately assumed it was an accident, and said how awful. I decided
not to turn on the TV as I knew it would be on the news and didn't want my 3
year old to see it. When I took my daughter to pre-school, there was a sign up
that said: Today we are cancelling school. You are invited to just stay with your
child. It's a time for us to be together. This was my first inkling that this was
more than a freak accident. We stayed at the preschool till almost lunch time.
The parents at the preschool talked in hushed whispers and shared what
information was known. We all had the urge to protect our children from this
horrific event for as long as possible. I called in to work and heard that the
University would be closing soon, so not to bother coming in at all.



On the way home, my daughter said bad guys bumped a building with an
airplane and now there was a fire. Could we go see it. I said the firefighters
were helping to put it out and we would need to stay out of the way, and let
them do their job to help people.

I talk to my siblings more by phone and instant message.
I am fearful of flying.
Every time I see an airplane in the air, I think about September 11th.
Every time I wait in an airport security line, I think about September 11th.
I worry about my children more, and what kind of world they will inherit/inhabit.
I try to do more good deeds to make up for the badness in our world.

How senseless the act was (except to the perpetrators). How we could feel so
strongly that this was evil, and the hijackers probably went to their deaths
certain they had done the right thing (in their minds) and would go immediately
to heaven. How odd this is to have these two extremes in perspective.

How the American people had a security and arrogance that was shattered.
How real people with no ax to grind, no political Machiavellian motives got
pulled in to an innocent loss of their lives, and how far reaching it is. Not only
did they lose their lives, but the loss extends to their families and friends, the
kids who will grow up without them. What messages those motherless and
fatherless children will take into their adulthood about intimate relationships
without a role model.

Yes, we hung a flag from the tree in our front yard. It stayed up day and night
for the next 3-4 weeks.

My feelings have changed, in that seeing the flag makes me think about
September 11th and remember. I guess I'm more patriotic.