I'm sure there are multitudes of people writing about September 11th today, and I am absolutely one of them.
It was a day that affected me very personally, since when it happened, I believed that my father was working in the Pentagon. As it turns out, he was actually working at the State Department. So he was totally safe. But I didn't know that, and being across the country at college, I had no way of finding that out until after a full day of worrying, crying, and praying.
I thought that the best way to talk about my experience would be to plagiarize myself. I have an old journal with entries I wrote on the day everything happened, and a year later. I'm going to post those entries here.
"September eleventh, two thousand one... A day that shall go down in infamy...
"I woke up this morning, turned on the radio, and heard that the World Trade Center towers had been destroyed. ...And the Pentagon had been attacked.
"The Pentagon where my father works.
"Four airplanes had been hijacked; one for each of the towers, one for the Pentagon, and one aimed for Pittsburg that crashed 80 miles short of its mark.
"I tried to call my mom, but the phones out that way were all jammed. So, I went to class, wondering all day whether or not my father was alive.
"Both of the towers collapsed. Another building nearby also collapsed. All of the government offices in New York and Washington, D.C. were evacuated.
"I heard nothing from my family until 1:15 pm, when my grandfather called and told me that my dad was okay. I started crying (so did Grandpa). Then my mom called, too. I heard my dad's voice in the background. He had been evacuated, unharmed.
"Still... how many people's fathers are
not coming home tonight?
"It's like a second Pearl Harbor. That was my initial thought, and that's what they're saying on the news, too. This is going to throw the US into a war. Looks like signs of the Second Coming.
"Oh, man."
So, that was what I wrote the day that it happened. Obviously, we learned more about the attack later (like how the Pentagon hadn't been the terrorists initial target), but these were my first impressions. I didn't go into many details about my personal experience, though, until a year later.
"Today is September 11th. One year ago, three thousand innocent lives were lost to one big, coordinated terrorist attack.
"My mother and I sat in front of the TV this morning, crying as we watched the special programs live on TV. In New York, they read the names of every victim of that day. Here in D.C., they held a commemorative service in front of the newly-fixed side of the Pentagon, the side that had been destroyed in the attacks.
"Services are being held in other countries, too. In London, they held a two-minute moment of silence across the whole country at the time the first plane hit. Then, they had a special choir sing Mozart's 'Requiem.' It's touching, the way other countries have been supporting us.
"I realized that I didn't go into very great detail a year ago about what happened. Too much shock, I guess. So I'll do that now.
"After I heard the radio saying what had happened, I went tearing down the stairs to the TV in the living room. As I ran past, my roommate Becca came running out of her room, the phone clutched to her ear, her face pale. Our roommate, Layne, had seen that the Pentagon had been hit on the news report she was watching at work, and had called me right away.
"Becca answered the phone. Her father works in a building right next to the Pentagon.
"Becca and I sat in front of the TV, watching in horror at the carnage on the news, holding each other and crying. We took turns trying to call our families, but the phones were jammed. Feeling helpless, I finally got dressed and went to meet Layne at the Law Library and pick her up to go to class.
"When I got to the Library, I saw a group of students crowded around the TV in front of the circulation desk where Layne was working. I watched in horror as the World Trade Center collapsed. Layne ran to me and threw her arms around me. I started sobbing. Layne went to get her bag so we could go to class.
"A lady, some unknown angel, saw me crying. She didn't know me, but she didn't let that stop her. That beautiful, angelic woman came up to me, put her arms around me, and rocked me back and forth, murmuring, 'It's okay, sweetheart. It will all be all right.' I clung to her for emotional support, and she stood there patiently until I calmed down. After that, I went to class.
"Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and that unknown angel at the Law Library is a personal hero of mine.
"After we sang 'Nearer, My God, To Thee' in my first class, I broke down again. I wrote notes to the rest of my teachers, asking them to excuse me from class for the day.
"I went home to wait for news by the phone. When my grandfather called, he reassured me that my father was fine. All the pent-up emotion burst out of me again, and I cried like a baby. Grandpa told me Uncle Eric was okay, too. Apparently he had been on the mall by the Pentagon, and the plane had flown right over his head.
"I don't think I'll ever be able to forget that day; a day that started out like any other, but ended with 3,000 fewer American citizens and a forever changed New York skyline. The events of that day will be etched in my mind forever."
To these journal entries, from the day of the event, and the first anniversary a year later, I now add an entry for the ten-year anniversary.
The events of 9/11 changed people. Many people became heroes that day, in many different ways. Strangers became friends. Americans were united as a people. We vowed to one another that we would never forget.
For several months after the tragedy took place, people became more patriotic. Flags were hanged in windows. Pro-America stickers were pasted on cars. People were a little more neighborly, a little more forgiving, a little more likely to serve each other.
That spirit, sadly, didn't last.
Most people still view the events of 9/11 with horror and sadness. But, unfortunately, we can no longer say that we're united as a nation. The petty bickering, the stubbornness (especially among politicians), the apathy for the pain of those around us, the criticizing of others - all of it has returned. Neighbors have become faceless strangers once more.
The saddest thing, to me, is the lack of support for our troops. The events of that day
did spark a war. Many people (especially in the media) disagree that the war was necessary. They believe that there were ulterior motives for us to send our troops overseas to fight. Maybe they're right. I'm not in government, so I don't know.
But the fact is, the troops are doing their job, and doing it well. On May 2 of this year, our military (specifically the Navy SEALS) managed to take out the man who had planned the attacks of September 11th: Osama Bin Laden. The man who had killed thousands of innocent American civilians (and who, no doubt, would have tried to kill more had we given him the chance) was dead.
As we've fought that war, we've also managed to bring some peace and liberty to countries that had previously been fraught with war and tyranny. A lot of good has been done.
So, even if you don't agree with the war, you can't deny that our military servicemen are doing their jobs. These men and women signed up to help protect this country. A lot of them made that decision because of 9/11, and the events of that day. They wanted to do their part to prevent such a thing from ever happening again. It's a noble thing that they're doing, and they deserve our respect and appreciation.
My husband is one of those who signed up to join the military after 9/11 happened. It was a few years later, but it was still a factor. We were engaged at the time, so he discussed it with me first. He told me that he wanted to be part of the first line of defense, so that he could do his part to protect me and our family.
It wasn't enough for him to hope that our country remained safe. He wanted to be actively working to protect America, the citizens living here, and especially his family. And I think that what happened on September 11th, 2001 is probably a big part of the reason he made that decision. I know the events of that day are a big part of the reason that I supported him 100% in his decision. Being a military spouse isn't fun, but I'm completely proud that my husband has chosen to help protect our country.
All of us were changed on 9/11. Some of the changes were temporary, some will be with us forever. But one thing is certain. It's been ten years, and I still remember that day clearly. It will be with me forever. Some people may have let themselves forget the tragedy of that day, and the unity they felt for a little while with their fellow Americans. They may have forgotten the nature of the evil we've been fighting against in the War on Terror. But not all of us have forgotten.
I speak for myself and my family when I say:
We will never forget!
