Wednesday, September 11, 2013

I Remember - 9/11/01

 
I remember bring at work, in the playground with a group of sweet, innocent toddlers when a co-worker came outside and told me about the first plane hitting the World Trade Centre.
 
I remember not exactly know what the World Trade Centre was or what the twin towers looked like or how big they were.
 
I remember thinking that it was a horrible accident - who would have thought of anything else before that day?
 
I remember another co-worker coming out and telling us that another plane hit the second tower, that both towers were engulfed in flames and that there would be hundreds of casualties.
 
I remember wondering what were the chances of two planes crashing into two buildings that close together.  Terrorists never crossed my mind. 
 
I remember parents dropping of their children sharing all sorts of news reports with us - some would end up being true, others, not so much.
 
I remember the utter shock and disbelief when I actually realized that this was not an accident.
 
I remember being told that shortly after rescue workers entered the tower to help people, the towers collapsed, first one and then the other.
 
I remember knowing that this was a horrible tragedy but not really having a clue how big it really was.
 
I remember hearing about the plane crashing into the Pentagon.
 
I remember hearing about the plane that crashed into the field in Pennsylvania.
 
I remember becoming more and more worried with each new piece of information.
 
I remember wondering if we were safe here.
 
I remember my husband telling me not to go anywhere on my lunch break.
 
I remember going home and eating supper in front of the TV watching news coverage.
 
I remember feeling sick to my stomach as I watched video replays of the second plane crashing and the towers collapsing, knowing that even though we couldn't actually see anything, that was a video of people dying.
 
I remember seeing the video of the President reading to a group of school children as someone whispered to him.
 
I remember the look of shock and horror on George W Bush's face.
 
I remember footage of people, running from the collapsing buildings, so covering in dust and ash that you couldn't tell if they were black, white or any skin tone, everyone was grey.
 
I remember footage of firefighters running towards those buildings to help anyone they could get to.
 
I remember that hundreds of those firefighters did not make it back out.
 
I remember that thousands of people lost their lives that day.
 
I remember that even more people lost loved ones that day, many who's bodies were never even found.
 
I remember that the events of that day have forever changed how we look at the world.
 
Every time I see a picture or video of the NYC skyline, with or without the Twin Towers, I REMEMBER and I ALWAYS will.
 
But I will never completely understand the enormity of this horrific event or the number of people who were touched first hand but this act of terrorism.
 
 

GeekPhilosopher: Instant download of free stock photos, images, backgrounds, and desktop wallpapers. Pictures can be used for personal and commercial web sites.