I was pregnant on this day 7 years ago. I was teaching in my classroom when our assistant principal came in and whispered the news of what had happened. We gathered outside our classrooms with one foot in the door and our eyes on the kids as we spoke of what was happening. "There was another plane..."
It was then that I first grasped what was really happening. That this wasn't a random accident. And I also realized that this was not a tiny commercial airplane. That there were hundreds of people on those planes and inside those offices.
"There are people jumping..."
I will never forget the horror I felt as I heard those words. The chill that ran down my spine. What could they be experiencing that was worse than stepping out into nowhere, knowing there was nothing that would catch them?
"The building fell..."
How could the building possibly fall?
"The other building fell..."
"The Pentagon is on fire..."
"There is another plane, but it went down..."
How many more were there??
We had to carry on as though nothing was happening for the kids' sake. We locked down the school and parents began picking up their children. Mine was safe inside me, but I wondered..."What kind of world am I bringing my child into?" I still ask this question today.
We say we will never forget and we won't...but we have to be reminded. We don't go around thinking of this 24/7. We go on about our daily lives and when a plane flies low, we are jerked back to the terror of that day and we wonder just for a second where that plane is headed. And we watch it for a second before we shake it off. We see a bag sitting somewhere that it doesn't really have a reason to be and we wonder for a second if it's a bomb. We stare at it and then shake it off. Because it couldn't really happen...but it did.
Will we ever be able to see a plane without remembering?
I hope not...
Will we ever look at the skyline of NYC without remembering?
I hope not...
I hope not...
And I will leave you with one of my favorite pics from that day
6 comments:
Very nicely worded. Great Post!
and no matter how long it's been or the time of day/day of the week, it never fails but to give me the chills and a tear on my cheek. it was the most awful day that i have ever seen in my lifetime. and it is amazing to me, that I bet every.single.person can remember exactly what they were doing on that day, at that second.
We DO need to remember. Thank you for your artfully worded reminder.
Peace, and God Bless-
I can remember exactly what I was doing that day...it will forever be in my mind and heart. its such a sad day and we def. need to remember it. thanks for the reminder.
Great post. I was in NYC that day it's still scary to think back and wonder what was going to happen. You are very right that we DO need to remember.
I'm not sure I know what to say. My own memories of that terrible day are forever burned in my brain. I hate to remember, but I can't stand to forget! Too many lives were lost. Too many people's lives were changed forever.
Thank you for helping me not forget.
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