11 September 2001
It’s already been seven years, but thinking about it makes it seem just like yesterday. We all remember where we were when we found out. My husband was serving our country…over there, somewhere. I was four months pregnant with our first child. I woke up early that morning–before I normally had to get up and get ready. I was working on my Masters and needed to watch a video before heading to work. I turned on the tv and was about to turn on the vcr when the news caught my attention. The CNN newscasters were telling us all they knew as pictures of a tall building billowing with smoke flashed on the screen. All they knew was that there was a rumor a plane had struck one of the buildings of the World Trade Center. They were conjecturing as to how this could have happened. The assumption was that it was a terrible accident. As I was watching the coverage the live footage showed the second plane.
What just happened? I was in shock with my hands to my mouth. My jaw slack in unbelief. My heart pounding, forcing me to breathe heavy. What in the world was happening? As the anchors were coming to grips with what was just broadcast, it was becoming clear to everyone that these were no accidents. I immediately began to wish that my husband wasn’t so far away. Did he know yet? How fast did news reach him? I called my boss and excused myself from work that day.
As events unfolded and planes crashed into the Pentagon and Shanksville I began to wonder where friends and family were. My mother-in-law was visiting friends in D.C. Du’s father and an uncle fly for United. Another of his uncles flies for Southwest. Where were they? Two of my dearest friends were flight attendants. One based out of New York. Where were they? Throughout the day I was able to make contact with everyone, each one of us telling and retelling our stories and expressing our unbelief. Each of us fearing that the worst would happen somewhere else in America as well. It turns out that there was someone from the tiny Western town we were living in that was on one of the planes. Everyone in America is probably less than six degrees of separation from somebody who died that day.
Not So SAHM 
I remember this day as if it were yesterday!! We were living in VA, just outside of DC. The boys and I had just moved in. Shawn was still in Germany – well, he was actually “somewhere else”. Houston was supposed to have an MRI done at Walter Reed that day, to try to figure out what was causing his migraines. I woke up late and was frantically trying to get ready, and cursing the drive I was going to have to make through morning DC traffic. The boys were dressed and watching cartoons (so I thought). I went downstairs and Houston was flipping channels, telling me that something really bad was happening. The pentagon was just hit. I stood in awe watching the news. I picked up the phone to call someone, anyone, but our lines were out. So many people were trying to call that no one could get through. When I finally got a dialtone, I called Germany. I don’t remember who answered. I did know that Shawn knew I was supposed to go to Walter Reed that day. I told the guy on the other line that I needed him to get ahold of Shawn and just tell him we were ok and still at home. I remember standing on my deck and listening to nothing. An eerie sound when your 20 minutes from Dulles and used to planes flying over all the time.
A week later I was at the Pentagon for work. I was in the section next to the one that was hit. It smelled like bonfire. People were diligently working with masks on to keep out the smoke and dust. It was hard to keep a dry eye from the pride I felt for these Americans.
6 degrees of separation indeed!! I was so proud of how our nation came together during this time of fear and terror. If only for a brief period of time, the people of this country showed great patriotism and support for their neighbors. I’m saddened that it took such an awful experience to bring us together, and that it really was short lived considering the people that did this would do it again today if they could.
We must never forget the global war on terrorism and all the brave men and women that lost their lives, and continue to protect us from this evil!
I never thought I would see anything more horrific than Oklahoma City … if only I had been right.
God bless all those who lost loved ones in that unbelievable chain of tragedies.
I turned on the TV at the moment the second plane was hitting–I thought someone must be promoting another movie and this was a clip. The SILENCE of those know-it-alls they pay to alk talk talk scared me more then anything else. Then they cut to the Pentagon and I decided someone was doing a War-of-the-worlds-type gag. I was weeping and checking all the channels when my husband came out of the shower.
They must; nay, they WILL be stopped!
I might add that it BEHOOVES us to act worthy of the gift it is to be American! It comes at a great price–to do things like ignoring political issues and votes is (deleted a bunch here…let’s just say really WRONG!)
GOD bless the USA
I just sent this video out to a couple of people but I’m going to post it here as well.
This amplifies the difference between two ideals. We must not lose the will to fight! Sure it sounds good to talk about “talking” to our enemies. We’d all prefer peace. But what about when those enemies don’t care to talk to us? When they hate us. When their stated goal in life is to eliminate us. When they believe their God is telling them to do it. When they’re not a known entity with a known operating base. When they’re scattered all over the world and even infiltrating our own nation. Do we really think they’ll be honest if they do decide to talk to us?
Only God, in His infinite wisdom, knows what’s best for our country and the world in regards to this election. But we must do what we believe is the right thing. And this is only in regards to national safety and foreign policy. What about other social issues as well…
Come, Lord Jesus…
I never thought about it like that….6 degrees. It makes the whole thing seem even more unified. They attacked US not us.
No matter how much times passes, it will always seem like yesterday.
thank you for your post
I was watching Good Morning America when the first plane had already hit one of the towers. Charlie Gibson was talking about how they were trying to determine if it was an accident. The camera was focused on the buildings and then the second jet….I saw it seemingly dissolve into the second tower. An image that will forever be burned into my memory.
No…I will never forget.
And I’m not sure if I will ever be able to forgive either.