story2894.xml

story2894.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

When I first heard the news, I was at the realtor's office. I had just moved back home after living out of state and was excited to start a new life, my own apartment, a new job, a new baby neice. I was filling out the application in the office when the phone rang. The realtor was aghast at whatever news was delivered in that call. She told me that the first plane had hit. I rushed to my sister's house only a few blocks away. The TV was on and I seen the second plane hit as I walked in the door. I sat on the floor stunned. The images were played again and again on the news. My neice woke up from her nap crying, wanting fed. My sister warmed the bottle, and I held Marin in my arms feeding her as I watched the images on the TV. I remember thinking how much this would change Marin's life, how differently she would grow up than I had. She would not have the security that my sister and I had shared knowing we were safe from acts such as this. She would not have that security, no one would. My day started out with the optimism of a new life ahead of me, I just did not realize that the day would bring a new way of living for us all. The optimism is weakened somewhat but still there. It is now tempered with a strong conviction to be good to people I personally love, who love me, and to be good to people I don't personally know, but love and support in spite of that fact. Just as the news images of that day will be forever in my mind, so will the love and compassion that sprung from them be in my heart.