We Won't Forget!!

WE REMEMBER--WE WILL NOT FORGET YOU!!

Where were you on 9/11?  I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing and I bet you do too!  Alexa had afternoon kindergarten but she had dance in the morning so Riley was on the floor playing and I was putting her hair up in a bun.  The tv was on one of those wonderful (ha ha) PBS cartoon shows when a news bulletin came across.  Now I've never seen a news bulletin come across a kids channel so I immediately switched over to MSNBC to see what was up.  We were watching live when the 2nd plane hit the tower and I was HORRIFIED, like I was frozen in space!!  That's when they announced some planes were headed to DC and this was a terrorist action---OMG I stopped breathing, and I left the room!  James worked 1 block from the White House at that time and my brother worked between Ft. Meade & the Pentagon on different days.  Well as you know cell towers were overworked and NO ONE could get a hold of anyone.  My house phone lit up with calls wondering where James was, had I talked to him (NO) when they announced a plane had hit the pentagon.  I remember feeling sick like I was going to pass out but trying to maintain a semblance of calm for the kids (who were 5 and 3 at that time) and they were asking me why I was crying.  My neighbors came over and we watched in silent terror what was unfolding in NYC and DC---thinking that this was the end. We knew so many people that worked in DC and NYC--my mind was racing when the phone rang.  James had had an early meeting outside of DC that day and he had turned the car around and was heading home---what a relief and I fell to the floor.  At that point they knew another plane was headed this way and I was SCARED, not for me but for all the people in DC including my brother.  I decided I needed to take Alexa to dance so she would be occupied but when we got there they were closing up--the dance place sat right across from Fort Detrick and they had rolled out tanks and had armed men up and down the road--FREAKY! So I hightailed it back home where James met us and we just watched the tv in disbelief wondering WHY, WHO, and what was the reason?  Watching people covered in dust and blood, seeing people jump to their deaths knowing they had no other choice but to face death.

Can you imagine?  I still can't imagine.  And the plane where they passengers took over and ran it into the ground--how brave and selfless knowing they WERE going to die.  What were their last thoughts?  What would yours be?  How do we all react in the face of DEATH---do we face it gracefully and bravely, do we scream and cry?  I'm not sure how I would do but I hope that faced with the same decisions I would react the same way they did---giving their lives for the lives of many, bravely, selflessly and valiantly.!

So I won't forget, I still remember and I remember each detail.  In fact I still cannot watch the news coverage of that day, I cannot look at the tv and see that all again.  Ten years after the fact and it still feels fresh in my head, like it was yesterday.  The horror of that day and the days to follow were traumatizing to me, to those of here in the US and to a lot of you around the world.  I don't want to relive it but I will ALWAYS REMEMBER.

So today I'm taking a break to think about everyone that died that day whether they were innocently working in those buildings or those that rushed into the face of chaos to help and lost their lives as well.  We remember you, we salute you and we will NEVER FORGET you!!  So I hope you take a moment or two today as well to give thanks that we are safe, alive but that others are not and pray for them, remember them.  And lets pray we NEVER relive an event like that EVER AGAIN!