Seth and I were talking this morning about where we were when we heard about the attacks on September 11, 2001. I was in my apartment in Salt Lake City, getting ready for class. My little sister and I had just flown back from a weekend trip to San Francisco the night before. I turned on the tv to see what the weather was going to be like (jeans or shorts?) and saw the plane down in Pennsylvania. It took about 10 minutes before I figured out what was going on. I ran in to tell my sister, "someone attacked the United States." The words hit me like a ton of bricks. I thought, "is that true? Could that be true?" It was obviously something our generation just couldn't comprehend.
Seth said he was in a sociology class and his teacher (obviously not knowing the extent of the circumstance) said "it's kind of like that wierd thing in New York this morning, people are just crazy." Nobody in class even knew what he was talking about.
Anyway, I think we should remember. Remember how we came together, remember the heros who gave their lives trying to save lives and just remember how precious life is.
So where were you when you found out?
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That morning my mom and I went to the high school track to run sprints. When we were driving home, I heard something about it on the radio just before turning off the car, but didn't think I'd heard right.
My brother and sisters ran out and were like, "Come see what happened!"
It was crazy.
I was in my dorm room. My TV was on and I just couldn't believe it. It was really early and I was getting ready to go to work.
Then when I got to work my boss was watching it on her computer. That's when the first tower fell and shortly after the second. It was so unbelieveable.
I had a few classmates that lost relatives and loved ones. It was really sad.
Art and I were driving from Tucson to Mesa that morning with the 2 girls. Back when he used to commute. And then I dropped him off at work and spent the day with my grandma watching the news. I remember it was like watching an intense movie and it didn't seem real at all. And I knew nobody who had people killed so I was that much more removed from it.
I was living in Washington. My mom called to tell me that the terrorists took over the Pentagon. :) I remember turning on the television and watching the second plane hit. I cried. Being in the military had given me a lot of pride in our country and it hit me hard - that and the possibility of getting called off to war before my mission.
At least the terrorists didn't get control of the Pentagon though.
I was getting ready for class up at the U - I went upstairs to check the weather & it was within 30 seconds of me getting upstairs that they switched from local to national breaking news. At first I was stunned and glued to the tube watching the events unfolding. I sat and watched as the 2nd tower was hit, and then as both towers collapsed. The thoughts of all the people in those buildings must have run through my head a million times that morning. When I finally got myself together & off to school for the day. Once on campus all my classes for the day got cancelled. I went to a friends house for breakfast where I found a few of my friends glued to the TV watching the news as they were trying franticly to reach family members in the NY, DC & PA areas to be sure they were ok - one of their moms was flying from DC to SLC that morning. . . her flight was diverted once in the air & then later cancelled (like every other flight for about a week). It was a very interesting day, one that I'll never forget and one I hope we never have to repeat again.
I was in Rexburg, turned on the news, I think for the weather report too what to wear to school..if I should go at all, and just stood there not really comprehending what was going on on the tv, considering they were showing everything all at once.
So this will date me a little in the young direction. I went to early morning seminary extra early because I was pianist and had to play prelude. So I missed everything until I went across the street to my first period at the school. There we watched the towers collapse. Our day was not over though--a bomb threat was called into our school and I remember thinking that this was it--things couldn't get worse. I was in choir when we were evacuated and as we were out on the field as they swept the school and parking lots, we began to sing a choral version of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" that we had been practicing for Veteran's Day. Everyone in the school stopped and listened and joined in. It was pretty amazing and very comforting.
In the car it was 8-9 a.m. in Detroit, and I was on my way to a Dr.'s appointment (2.5 weeks before my due date with mitch). Feeling so confused about it all, and then being ashamed that I was so selfish to be excited about having a baby soon (found out I was 4 cm. dilated).
I remember waking up realizing I had just slept through my alarm and was going to be completely late for my Irish Dance class (yes, Irish Dance Class - I was on the folk dance team ok?) ..anyway, I hurried into the bathroom ranting about being late and two of my roommates were in there getting ready class and shushed me, and said, 'A huge bomb or something hit in New York' (obviously they didn't know enough yet) - and then I instantly put things in perspective and felt terrible for caring so much about trivial things in my little life; like being late to Irish Dance Class. I watched the news anytime I could after that on that day, and that week. It did feel like I was watching a movie, seeing the planes plunge into the towers.
...Paul was on his study abroad in Italy and saw tons of people packed into a bar watching the news and was summoned to come see; he saw it all there on the news, and then was constantly told 'I'm sorry' by Italians passing him on the streets and stuff. He says they all seemed to really care and would keep apologizing/consoling Americans that they saw.
I slept thru the alarm and the phone rang, it was my dad. (I was glad he called cuz I had to get the kids up and off to school.) He said turn on the TV, they just flew a plane in to the world trade center.
Right Dad, I said.
No, I'm not kidding, He replied. I watched the rest of the morning in horror at the realization that this was real and scary. It took me a long time after that to be able to watch a plane fly and not get this feeling in the pit of my stomach. It is a day I will never forget.
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