I've struggled to think what the tenth anniversary of those horrific acts means to me personally and I'm still not sure what I feel. For me September 11 had only ever been synonomous with my friend Kelli's birthday. In 2011 I was a Senior in College. I was just about to get up for class and head off to take an exam for one of my Marketing classes when Jon called. He told me to turn on the TV- something had hit one of the Twin Towers. The TV wasn't on for more than two minutes when I watched an American Airlines flight hit the second tower. My mouth dropped open and I wanted to scream- I just began to cry. My father called and was upset he couldn't reach my Aunt Virginia- she lives in the DC area. I told him to be calm, the phone lines are bound to be overloaded right now. Then the Pentagon was hit. My dad called back minutes later and was in tears. My Uncle Gene worked at the Pentagon at the time and we couldn't help but think the worst.
Lives were lost, men and women were widowed, children were orphaned and above all else beliefs in the securtiy America offered where shattered. The world changed in once instant by horrible cowards intent on inflicting pain and trying to prove a point to the world. I really felt vunderable for such a long time. An act of war hadn't been committed on American soil since Pearl Harbor.
I long for the world I grew up in...a world my chidlren will never know. To those who lost their lives, to the families who were robbed of loving their loved ones just one more day, to the emergency responders, and the men and women who continue to protect our nation...we honor you today and every year on 9/11.
