I remember that it was a beautiful sunny day and business as usual at work. Then my phone rang and Getzy told me to go watch the news. I'm not much of a news watcher because I feel like so much of it is negative and manipulated. Getzy and I have an agreement that he will let me know when something important is happening.
At the time I was working for a media company in Dunwoody, Georgia. I went into my boss's office to watch the coverage just after the first plane hit the World Trade Center. Originally we thought it was just a terrible accident . . . then the second plane hit. I think it was then we began to realize that life as we know it would never be the same.
I was pregnant with my oldest son, Ryan. Oddly enough, I remember I was wearing a black maternity maxi dress with tiny red roses all over it. I still have the dress . . . I couldn't part with it when I let go of my maternity clothes because it had such significance to me. And I remember thinking what kind of world am I bringing a child into . . . thoughts I hadn't really had before then.
I suppose until you live through something, it doesn't have as much meaning to you. It wasn't until I visited Pearl Harbor and toured the Dachau concentration camp in Germany that I truly felt like I could understand the magnitude of those events.
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A motley crew for sure . . . we fed the high schoolers right after cross country practice and told them to get in the car . . . you never know what the day holds in our house! |
To say the flag display was moving is an understatement. From the minute I saw them, the tears flowed. To see the volume of flags and to know what each represents was overwhelming. I think the visual made it much more real to all of us.
It's hard to believe that it's been 15 years. A lot has changed since 9/11, but I'm choosing to look on the bright side. So much good in humanity came from the tragedy . . . so much patriotism. America is the land of the free . . . and the home of the brave. That was never more true than after 9/11.
I was a freshmen in college on 9/11 and the first attack happened right as my English class was ending. When I was walking in to my dorm room my roommate had the news on and the second plane was crashing. Crazy to think back about that time. That is a very great way to have a local memorial. I can't even imagine what that many flags in one place looks like. I have had several thoughts of what kind of world am I bringing a child in to, but I am sure our parents and their parents felt the same way.
ReplyDeletei was at work when the planes hit; it was a shock to everyone because it was the most awful thing that can only happen in a movie (some people even asked "what movie are you watching?". It's so important that we never forget what happened, all those lives lost.....so tragic and heart breaking.
ReplyDeleteI feel some of the same emotions every anniversary that i felt that day, but mostly I feel the sadness for the families that lost their loved ones. It just dawned on me yesterday that I didn't say one single word to the big boys Sunday about the significance of that day and I feel like I failed them in some way. Next year I know to do better, do more, say something. Those flags are beautiful, btw.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your memories of where you were. I was at work and a woman came in yelling, "It's WW3!" I thought she was being her usual dramatic self. Still can't believe it happened and that was 15 years ago.
ReplyDeleteI was at my parents house in MI. I had flown up for my birthday. Olivia was just a baby and sitting in her high chair painting water colors on index cards. I remember I was watching Good Morning America and pretty much sat in horror as the whole thing unfolded. So vivid...
ReplyDeleteWhere is that memorial? I would like to see it next year!