nmah24.xml

nmah24.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-06-21

I was getting ready to leave for work when I heard that a plane had struck the north tower of the World Trade Center. I quickly turned on the TV to see smoke belching from a gaping hole in the tower. Minutes later,I watched live as the second plane hit the south tower. I will never forget the shiver of fear that shook me at that moment. It was immediately obvious that this was a deliberate act. I picked up my 9 month old son, a mother's instinctive urge to protect at a time of fear and uncertainty. Having never been to New York City, the actual scale of the disaster wasn't immediately apparent to me... the size of those huge towers compared with the rest of the New York skyline gave me no references. I thought maybe it was private planes that had hit the towers. Then, the I heard the newscasters saying there could be as many as 50,000 people total in the two towers.
On the way to work, I comforted myself with the thought that this is the United States of America. Strongest military power in the world. I knew that our greatest military minds would be focused on stopping the attack. I was certain that these two attacks would be the end of the terror.
At work, I turned on the radio and listened as the media reported that the Pentagon had been hit and that commercial liners believed to be hijacked were still in the air. I don't think I have ever been that scared in my life. These unknown assailants were hitting us at the heart of our military might. The symbol of our status as a great military force. I couldn't imagine things getting worse. The horror that had already occurred was so mind-boggling I couldn't wrap my brain around it. Then, things got horribly worse. The south tower collapsed. I remember being overwhelmed with horror and grief at the thought of the thousands still trapped inside plunging downward. Hope prevailed that some would manage to be rescued from the clouds of debris and the tangle of wreckage that used to be the South Tower. Then the north tower fell. I couldn't believe it. In less than two hours, thousands had been injured or extinguished. I knew rescue workers would be working frantically to get to those trapped. From our vantage point, that of the news cameras, you couldn't see the fires still burning or the massiveness of the rubble. We still had hope in the face of our fear and grief. Over the next few days, I cried as I watched desperate wives, husbands, sons, daughters, parents, and friends searching for word of their loved ones. I watched as they pleaded on TV for any, just any news about these people who were the center of their lives. I watched a nation come together in a time of such difficulty. Flags displayed everywhere. A people fierce in their determination that we would stand to the last person in order to live in freedom! We would not be bowed by the cowardly terrorists and their gruesome tactics. I was so proud to be an American as the stories of bravery and selflessness emerged from that day. A man who stayed with a handicapped colleague to comfort him when he easily could have escaped the world trade centers. Firefighters climbing toward doom and chaos as others evacuated. Thousands pouring out with food and blood donations and opening their wallets. A group of suburbian kids selling lemonade to raise money for the victims. A small child making peanut butter sandwiches for fire fighters and other workers toiling in the wreckage. Everyone wanting to give what they could to help. No one bowing to the terror of that day.

I take more time with my son, J.T., now a year and a half old. I spend less time worrying about the laundry and more time laughing with him. I never end a conversation or go to bed without telling my loved ones that I love them. I understand more now than every our kinship as human beings. No matter where we live or what our lifestyle. We are all relatives on this journey through life. Things I didn't think were important to me or that my contribution towards was so small it wasn't worth the effort, have taken on new meaning. I do a better job of recycling and I take elections more seriously. One voice does count! Even if my voice is weak or the opposition is louder, my voice must be heard! I can make a difference for humanity. We must all strive to make the good outweight the evil. For my child's sake, for my family's sake, for humanity's sake. We must be more determined than ever that this twisted, evil people will fail. It will take each one of us, willing to do our utmost, to ensure that good prevails.

The beauty of the lives that were lost that day. The importance of those people to their families, their communities and their representation of each of us as wives, husbands, sons, daughters, and parents. The incredible goodness that arose from the ashes. The bravery of those who died to save others. Knowing that they would die and choosing to make their last moments count for the rest of us. We can't ever forget that these people paid the ultimate price to live in a free world. I think they would have rather lived free knowing they would die, than to live a half life in oppression.

Yes. The flag is more symbolic in our lives than ever. That single piece of fabric tell the story of our country. The honor and sacrifice that have made her great. It is a sign of our unity as Americans. I don't think anyone will be burning a flag in the near future. But doesn't the fact that you COULD burn it in political protest make it even more symbolic of our freedom?