story6726.xml

story6726.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-12

I had slept over at a friend's house the night previous to the 9-11 tragedy. My roomate actually called me at my friends that morning and left a message on the answering machine that we had been "attacked." When I got in my car to go home and get ready for work, I quickly turned on the radio to NPR. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I immediately knew that this was the beginning of something that wouldn't be resolved quickly or easily. They had set up televisions throughout the hospital I work in, and people stared in disbelief at the images they were seeing. The obvious questions were asked, and unfortunateley there were no obvious answers. A year later I still feel like I am searching for the words to describe how I feel about the events that day. I yearn for a way to put them into a personal as well as historical perspective. Perhaps that day represents an "end of innocence" for Americans, however, the renaissance of patriotism engendered by that day shows that we have emerged more resolute and convinced that our values are worthy and just. There is one last thing I would like to express: historians of the future will examine this day and attempt to bear out causes and effects, but let them take notice that we didn't back down and that we found strength in adversity.