Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning, On That September Day....

So today's post will definitely have a different tone. As the anniversary of 9-11 approaches, I've been thinking about that day. My parents always talk about where they were when they heard that Kennedy had been shot and how shocked they were. Of course, I'm too young to remember that and until 9-11 happened I don't think there was ever a huge event that happened that I could remember my exact place when I experienced it. Well, they may not be true....I do remember when the space shuttle crashed back in the 80's but I was too wrapped in my own little world to notice how it may or may not have effected me. But 9-11 is a completely different story.


I don't really have a story to tell. I didn't know anyone personally that died that day in New York, Pennsylvania, or Washington DC. I vaguely remember someone telling me that a person from my hometown was working at the restaurant that was located near the top of one of the towers in New York, but I don't remember who it was (this is because I didn't know the person) and whether that person died or survived. I do remember when it happened...I was teaching third grade at Sugarloaf School. My daughter had been born in January of that year and my mother was watching her while I went back to work. My mother called me that morning in my classroom (yes, every teacher in the school district I came from had a telephone on their desk...talk about nice) and I got nervous that something was wrong with Raelynn. When I spoke to her I could have sworn she said that an airplane had crashed into our house. Of course I couldn't understand why she was being so calm about it. She told me to turn on the TV and I would understand.

I turned on the TV. At this point the first tower had been struck and was smoking. I was watching the live coverage when the second tower was hit. It took me awhile to figure out that they weren't showing an instant replay. I think I may have spoken to my students about it but was very sketchy about it so as not to scare them. (I turned on the TV and watched the second plane hit when I was on my planning period-no kids in the room.)


I can remember walking through school and all of the teachers looking at each other in shock and disbelief. I don't remember the ride home but I do recall for the next few weeks I checked the sky every few minutes while I was driving to see if another plane would drop out of the sky. I also recall that for the next week or two I was totally hooked on the constant coverage. This has happened to me before...I did the same thing during Hurricane Katrina. I became very sad watching all the death and carnage.


I showed my support like lots of other Key Westers and drove around with an American flag that hooks to the car window. In my small way I felt I was helping the cause.


Anyway...as the anniversary approaches I think about the events of that day. The students that I now teach were only 2 years old when it happened. In their lifetime they've never known what it was like to not live in the shadow of terrorism.


I think a good thing to do on Thursday, September 11, 2008, would be to remember those that died that day and for all the soldiers that have died defending our freedoms. Being more loving and reflective about our daily lives is one way we can make something good come from this horrible experience.


Thanks for reading! See ya tomorrow!