Where Were You Sept 11, 2001?

What were you doing on September 11, 2001?

John's Weekend Assignment #128: Share your thoughts about 9/11. You can remember back on what you were doing on the day or give some thought to how we think about it today. Thoughts personal, political or philosophical are all up for consideration. Tell us all what you think about when you think about September 11, 2001 .... Write it up in your Journal or Blog, and then come back here and leave a link ...

Wow I remember that day so clear.  I was at work.  My boss yelled out "NO!".....his wife had called to say that a plane had crashed into the tower.  Co-worker and I headed upstairs to see what he was watching (CNN of course or FOX News).  We got up to his room and said "what's up?" and he tells us and points to his TV (he's always watching the stock channel). 

As we watch a replay we are astounded and THEN BOOM the 2nd plane hits.  OMG!  My heart fell, my insides began to shake.  I suddenly felt a wave of panic for my own safety.  I mean, if it could happen there, why not here?  We have Sunny Point, and old artillery base from the Vietnam era with lots of stuff still burried.  One hit and BOOM, bye bye 3 counties.  Also a nuclear power plant near this base. We also have Camp Lejeune to our North some 30 miles.  I am sitting on a bullzeye.

We could only just watch the clips over and over and over.  Who?  What?  Why?  They specutlated terrorists.  But why mess with us?  Why the USA?  We weren't provoking anyone were we? 

I picked up Miss T from daycare (she was 4 -1/2).  I didn't want to say anything to her about this.  I didn't want her to worry.  But then in the car she brought it up!  WHAT!??!  They had put the TV's on in the daycare and these little people were hearing all of this!  I was furious.....how dare they make a decision to share this with these children.  That should have been MY decision as to what I wanted her to know.  I gingerly told her "yes" a plane had crashed......but I didn't want to tell her that a bad man (or woman) was being mean and coming kill us (possibly ALL of us).

Tom, OMG, Tom was beyond livid.....they had blown up HIS city.  He was a mess, emotionally.  As a native NY'r and retired NYPD guy this was to be expected....he was concerned for the police as well as the fire fighters and others in the towers and surrounding areas especially his turf.  (My own brother is a fire fighter here in our town.)  As it turned out Tom knew one of the firemen that perished in the towers.  Joey Henry.....as a kid he was friends with Tom's daughter and was as all kids in and out of their home.  Tom was there when they attempted to bomb the city before.  This was real for him, very real.  I cannot imagine the fear he was experiencing.

(I tried to find some "memorial" something in honor of Joey, but I couldn't come up with anything without calling the FD directly.  Didn't want to go there!  If anyone reading knows of anything please let us know.)

All I could do was watch the clips.....read the papers....listen to the reports of who/what/why.  Then the Pentagon....I have a friend whose son was THERE when the Pentagon was hit.  (I love DC)  You talk about a nervous parent.....luckily the kid was not near this point of impact.  (I'm not convinced it was a plane though.)  Then the PA plane....Tom's niece lives in PA, luckily not near the wreck.  Wow, this was all hitting a little too close to home!

I watched the Chaplin's funeral.  Heartwrenching, yet heartwarming.  The love, the bond.....these people didn't only just work together.  They had become a family unit, extended of their own.  You had the feeling that these perished loved ones were your own family too and in some respect they were.  They were a family of protectors whopromised to protect any one that came in to their area and that meant my step-brother (who was performing off Broadway and in various TV spots), Tom's girls and his cousins that still live in the NYC area as well as me a potential visitor.   My parents had just come back from a visit there the year before!!  Yikes!

The number one fear for me was that these people had come to my homeland and destroyed so much so fast and on purpose....  right under our noses (yet hadn't we been warned during previous administrations that this was a possiblity ???).  Trained near my SIL's home in Florida.  Could have been living next door to her or to me for that matter.

Some people did not make it to work that day.  I know that they are thanking GOD everyday because for some reason they became sidetracked --- their alarm didn't go off; they spilled something and had to change; their car broke down or they missed the bus/train; someone called at the last minute. 

The grace of God............an amazing gift.

I have a new respect for law enforcement and fire fighters after this.  The extent to which they go to protect not just the structure, but a life....amazing.  Like I always say "I'm not running into a building that everyone else is running out of".  But these people do and for that sacrifice I say a heart felt THANK YOU and may God watch over you and keep you safe.