I suppose it's pretty hard for today not to stand out in American's minds. I suppose the terrorists got what they wanted in that regard. I'm taking a moment this morning to reflect on where I was and what I was doing 7 years ago today. It's not every day that I do that, but this one is very clear in my memory.
I was working in a high stress environment for a power-hungry, intimidated-by-my-age boss. Someone who liked to mother me. I had purchased a house a year prior and was living in a town 30 minutes from here, making a dreaded 45 minute commute each way daily. I was in a dysfunctional marriage of two years.
I thought I had life figured out and I was wrong. What a difference a few years makes.
And what about what actually happened that day? I remember mass confusion, the internet literally creeping to a near halt. Not being able to pull up cnn.com (except once) and trying desperately to find out what was going on, minute by minute. The phone lines were packed. Calls couldn't go through. The entire country was seemingly under attack and whoever it was, I'm sad to say they were getting it done. I remember going home that night, watching with the sick curiousity that one looks at horrible car crashes, and watching over and over again on television the unimaginable crash of the planes into the world trade center over and over again. I remember all the patriotism that followed. Much of that dissipated over the following months and seeing flags everywhere has now returned back to being uncommon.
I just want to say thank you to the men and women over in Afghanistan and Iraq, all the enlisted and all the veterans, that were willing to give their lives to protect so many. On this day I always think of you. I believe in you and I wish I had your courage.
So how about the rest of you? Do you remember where you were and what you were doing?
3 comments:
Oh, yes. I remember EXACTLY what I was doing at the moment I first heard. Working at the same place you were (although for a much different sort of boss! ;) )... the speculation running up & down the halls, the quiet, the waiting to see what came next, the desperately trying to reach loved ones that lived far away - just to make sure, anger, sadness, fear ...
I was working at the HR office at Ericsson in Brazil when around 7:45 (our time) somebody in the office shouted: the towers are going down! We had a big screen at our office where we quietly watched those horrable images.That day every place in Brazil was closing their doors, watching the news on TV and having a minute of silence in respect of that horrible tragedy. I could not believe that 3 years later, I would be coming to US to live with a family who had lost their husband/daddy on that day.
Very nice tribute Jeni.
I was living in my first apartment, sophomore year in college at NC State. Someone called and told me. I turned on the tv immediately and watched in horror. I was pretty young and extremely naive then. I remember calling my boyfriend who was military at the time, sure he'd be sent overseas. I remember thinking the end of the world had come. Then I remember hoping classes would be cancelled. How selfish of me!
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