Remembering

Today marks the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 Terrorist attacks on our country. It is almost unreal to me that it has been seven years. I would venture to say that the 9/11 attack on our country is for my generation what the Kennedy assassination is to the baby boomer generation. Meaning that we will NEVER forget where we were when as Alan Jackson would say "the world stopped turning". I can give you a very detailed account of where I was, what I was doing, my first thoughts, and subsequently the days to follow. I can also give you an account of where Beau was too. Even though I did not even have the slightest clue as to who he was at the time. It still gives me chills thinking about the day, this morning Beau and I had a short drive to work. We stayed at his parents while they are out of town, so it only took about 20 minutes to get to work. So for 15 of the 20 minutes we listened to a recap of events that took place on that dreadful morning. We both sat there in silence as we listened to each recap minute by minute of what happened. It is strange that this very time seven years ago ALL of our lives changed....forever. We will never look at flying the same, never look at New York the same, never see many things the same. I could not help but weep this morning reminiscing that day. It is still so fresh on my mind. As the radio station played the recap chills went up and down my spine, my skin looked like chicken skin all bumpy and cold. I sat there just crying. Remember every emotion and fear that set in on that warm September day. I feel like giving an account of what my day was like might help me to remember those we lost that day. It might help to get my feelings out and not feel so bottled up today.
I remember September 11, 2001 like it was yesterday. I was a freshman in college at UAB. I had an 8 o'clock class that morning that got out a few minutes before 9. I was walking across 12th street in downtown Birmingham. I remember the walk light turning green and starting across the street from the UAB library to the Arts and Humanities building. I remember two women probably in their 30s dressed in suits talking on their cell phones with panic in their voices. They were crying. There was an Eire silence throughout campus. I just remember them saying that the Pentagon had been attacked. I remember thinking... what? I kept walking when I got to my next class there were several other students, in the class just talking about their speculation of what could have happened. At this point the second plane had just hit the WTC. Needless to say our classes were cancelled for the rest of the day. I had a University Class that I went to and we discussed our feelings and thoughts. Somewhere I have a paper I wrote during class about my feelings at that time. Gosh, I wish I knew where that was. I remember feeling so scared...even here in Alabama. I ended up at my parents by mid-afternoon I sat in the living room with my mom for hours upon hours watching the news. I have never felt such sadness in my life. Heartbreaking sadness. I slept on the couch that night...actually, I wouldn't say slept. I lay on the couch that night so glued to the television. I saw grown men, newscasters.... you know the really hardcore ones who show NO emotion, just weeping on screen. It was horrible. The real test though came in the weeks and months to follow. The people who posted pictures of their loved ones that were missing. The firefighters who lost their lives saving others. The ENDLESS stories of hopelessness. Then there were the ones like Lisa Beamer. I am sure that she would have loved to go the rest of her life just being Todd's wife, and mother to her babies. I am sure she did not want to be catapulted in the spotlight as the woman who's husband and peers on flight 93 (I think that was the one) over took the highjackers and crashed in Pennsylvania before making it to DC. I am sure she wish a thousand times her husband wouldn't have been the one who is an icon with his bravery and words... "Lets Roll"... I can't imagine her life today. There are so many people in our lives that have been devastated by the terrorist attacks and War to follow. I encourage you to remember those people today. Think about where you were that day. Write it down.Remember today.