9/11

Water Fountain - WTC memoriam

(Google image - www.911memorial.org)



Today commemorates the 11th anniversary of the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. It's a day I'm sure MOST remember: where they were on that day, how they felt when they first heard about the attacks; the shock, the fear, the disbelief as they watched the news with all the horrific scenes of that day.

My son had to interview someone about 9/11 for a discussion in school. He was able to interview a friend of mine, who worked in the first building of the World Trade Center AND was pregnant at the time. I've heard her story before but as I heard her again during the interview, I couldn't imagine how frightful it must have been for her and the thousands who were directly affected that day. To this day she still can still hear the BOOM of the first plane hitting the building she was in; she still wonders if the person whose body fell in front of her was someone's father, brother, uncle, friend; she remembers the searing heat in the building...and she is ever thankful that she and her babygirl (who is now a grown diva :) survived.

I pray for all who've lost loved ones on that day in the hopes that they have found healing in their hearts.

Where were you on THAT 9/11?

I used to be annoyed year after year on September 11th with all the hoopla of that ill-fated day. TV, newspapers, everywhere would have some reminder of the tragedy at the World Trade Center. In my naivety I thought they should just leave it alone already, stop re-hashing it, stop reminding so many families of their loss. But that was just it: me being naive.
For many families, it is a day of reverence, a day to honor their loved ones and also a reminder that Americans, and human beings on the whole, have incredible fortitude.
Most people remember exactly what they were doing on that day. I was at work and when the first tower was hit I thought it was just an unfortunate accident, but by the time the 2nd plane crashed we were all huddled around a television watching in disbelief.
Immediately I thought of my son and panic set in. If anything else was about to happen, I needed to be with my son. I picked him up from daycare, went home, and watched the news for the rest of the day. I cried as I saw the towers crumble, people covered in ash, running for their lives, helping strangers, bodies falling from the buildings as though it was a movie scene. I hugged my son even tighter. I couldn't imagine being out there and I was grateful that I wasn't.
I remember when my friend, Tamyka, told me her 9/11 story. She was pregnant at the time and IN the WTC and had to run down  flights of stairs to get out. She named that baby Destiny and we sure are happy to have met them and have them in our lives today.
So my prayers go out to the families, the survivors, and anyone who suffered a loss on that day.
Luv from my heart straight to yours.
Mandy