9 Years Ago...

It's technically 9/12/10 but my post for 9/11 is coming now. I want to make it short because there is already enough circulating on TV about it.

On September 11th 2001, I went to school as normal. I was in 7th grade, middle school, living in the same area I'm in right now. I don't remember much, actually. It's a very spotty memory. I do remember being at lunch hearing the first thing about the attacks. Someone told me "the world trade centers are burning". All I knew at that point was that the WTC was in New York and that if it was burning, that was bad. Then someone else chimed in with "yeah, my dad said someone attacked the pentagon". At first, I thought this was some strange joke and then word started circulating around the lunch room and people started to look panicked. I don't remember much else except going to my science class where my teacher looked grim. He didn't say much and told us that we all needed to stay in class and they were going to explain to us what was going on. He turned on the news and explained to us that the WTC in New York had been attacked at the two towers were collapsed. I don't remember if there was any word about the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania yet. They excused everyone from school and permitted our parents to come pick us up. I went to the office to call my Mom, who informed me that my sister was okay. She would have normally headed into Washington, D.C. for work but was running late that morning and didn't leave once she saw the news about the attacks in New York. All I remember was that it was kind of like bedlam. People were leaving the school and when my Mom came to pick me up she looked like all the color had drained from her face. She left work when she saw what was going on and had been watching the news and said she saw both of the towers collapse.

My uncle had his wedding reception at the restaurant Windows On The World at the top of one of the towers. We were planning on going to New York within the coming year and my Mom had assured me she would take me in to see the buildings. I had always told her I wanted to see the towers because she has a photograph of the city skyline at night framed and hanging up in our living room. Unfortunately, I never got to see it and instead had to visit "ground zero".

It was a terrible event and my heart goes out to all those who died or still suffer from the tragedy of that day. Nine years later, the wounds are still fresh. I just hope we all continue to move forward.