Sept 11th

September 11, 2001 was a day that changed everything as we know it. I know at that point I had never considered anyone trying to attack us on our soil. That idea seemed so far fetched to me, something belonging to a history book or one of the many American history reenactments that my father has taken us to over the years. It makes perfect sense for the British to come over and fight for control over the colonies in the 1770's but now...? But, just like so many Americans were not expecting that hit on Pearl Harbor, I was not expecting that hit on September 11th. It has become the "where were you when JFK was shot?" of our generation. that question was something that my parents could anser but just seemed a far away part of history for me. "Where were you when the planes hit?" is a question that Christopher and I will be able to answer  but to Wesley and Henry will be a seemingly far off event in history-something that changed the world that they live in but way before it could have an effect on them that they could notice. They will hear stories, see videos, pictures, read articles but will never know what it was actually like to live through that particular day, to experince the before and after.

I can remember where I was-I had an early morning class at UMBC that day and we were all working on a group activity. It was the end of class when our teacher (who had breifly left the classrooom) cambe back in and said "Two planes have just hit the World Trade Center. I thought you should know since people will be talking about it."  And that was it! No explaination at all. I felt at that point that it was some sort of horrible accident, not something that had happend on purpose. By the time I got dowm to the English Studies building to pick up a reading I needed for another class a third plane had hit the Pentagon and I was watching it on TV there in the front office with a bunch of other people. That is when I knew this was no accident.  One of my best friends was going to school up in New York City and of course I tried to call to no avail. There was no reason for her to be at the World Trade Center that day but hey-you never know. I did eventually hear from her mom that she was safe in her dorm room there. My mom demanded I come home and  I spent the rest of the day at home with my mom and brothers watching the news hoping for some sort of explination for what had gone on that day. I remember the drive home was eerie and quiet with no planes flying overhead back and forth from BWI.

I woke up this morning to a conversation between Christopher and Wesley about what happened 10 years ago today. He was telling Wesley what happened and how he, being in the army, was doing his job to keep our country safe and protect the people who live here. Wesley then asked if he was going to shoot the bad guys. Christopher said "Not unless I have to. I think it is better to try to change their minds and agree to get along than to shoot someone." I wish it were that easy to ensure the safety of my family. My brother's girlfriend is a flight attendent and everytime I hear that she is flying I say a quick prayer that she will get home safe. That is something I probably would not have thought about doing before 9/11. My mother in law is traveling to Germany to visit my sister-in-law but refused to fly on September 11th.

I feel for all the families that lost somone on that fateful day 10 years ago. I hope they are on their way to healing broken hearts, homes and families. What I have had to deal with as far as consequences fo that day is very little compared to what those families had to suffer through. My prayers today go out to them, and also to the soliders and their families who have been affected by this endless war that has resulted from that day. Please, take a moment today and remember the lost ones, say a prayer for the ones left behind.