Thursday, September 11, 2008

I Remember

It was 8:50am and I was running around my office in my typical haphazard fashion. Stressed about someone not getting a report in on time or some other increasingly mundane task that would ultimately mean very little. The plant manager peeked in and asked me to come to the conference room down the hall. Something about a plane hitting a building in New York. I sauntered down the hallway to a growing crowd of co-workers who were crouched around our t.v. set taking in every word the reporters could get out.

As we all sit there in mass confusion, we see the second plane hit the towers. The audible gasp is quickly shrouded in silence all around. Is this really happening? We are flipping back and forth between all news outlets for more information. No one seems to know anything.

I walk back to my office to shoot off some emails to my family, when I hear the words that will never erase from my mind. "A plane just hit the Pentagon." Confusion moves to terror as I start to panic about the safety of my little brother, who is in school in Washington D.C. The phone calls to him go unanswered. The emails aren't returned. My father hears from me more times that morning, than I can reasonably count. That entire day is spent in suspended disbelief that this could not only be one of the worst days in our country's history, but in my family's lives also.

We finally hear from my brother late that afternoon and he's fine, but I will never breathe a bigger sigh of relief than I did that day. I felt overwhelming joy that he was ok and yet immense sadness for the many friends and families of those who lost their loved ones that day.

And so today, I take a moment to reflect on those who lost their lives that day. The innocent souls on the planes and in the buildings. The brave emergency responders who didn't think twice about running into danger to help others. And the friends and families of those who lost their lives. I will never forget you.

14 comments:

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

I rationalized to myself that my list making post this morning was my way of remembering. Because we have to go. Be reflective of who we are. And accomplish our dreams.

Unknown said...

I can't imagine the worry you must have felt.

Angela said...

This was truly one of those days where I can recall every moment of my morning with crystal clarity. Hubby (who was downtown at work) called me at home and said "a plane just hit the WTC." This was before he had seen any visuals, and I remember saying, "well, there are a lot of small single engine planes that fly around there" (because I remember seeing some, below us, when Ashley and I stood on the observation deck in 1991). I remember thinking "that's terrible, but it was probably just a small amateur pilot or something." Little did I know. Hubby said, "no, I think it was a passenger jet" and my first thought was, "wait, the WTC is way outside the traffic patterns for commercial airliners..." And then (along with everyone else) we sat that day, transfixed, watching everything unfold. And wondering in terror what was going to happen next - and where :-(

No, we will never, ever forget. God bless America.

Shelle-BlokThoughts said...

That was a scary day...I didn't have anyone over there at the time...but I remember watching in terror as they said things like 'people are jumping out of buildings'...then when I visited New York and went to ground zero...looked at the TALLEST building to only imagine the TWIN TOWERS rocketing higher than that...I cried because I knew that people were desperate enough to escape the heat and terror of it by jumping out the window!

I'm glad you wrote this post...it's good to remember why we fight for our freedom! :)

Ronnica said...

Definitely on my heart and mind today.

Lula! said...

I, too, will never forget...

CrystalChick said...

With you in reflection.

Michelle said...

I really debated hard about putting up a post today on this but couldn't come up with anything that I didn't feel was maudlin.

I'm another one who remembers every moment of that day.

Kelly said...

Such a horrible, horrible day in our history. I to remember and will never forget.

Shannon said...

Oh, God, Angie... I could not imagine the worry you felt when you couldn't get a hold of your brother.

MediMonsters said...

Such a sad sad day. Glad your brother was ok.

Tiffany said...

I can remember everything about that day... seems like it just happened.

Claremont First Ward said...

I too remember everything about that day.....I'm glad your brother was OK. Whew.

Cristin said...

I'm glad you've got your brother with you...

 

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