Remembering September 11, 2001
Jean Sexton writes:
Each year I try to set down words to remind myself of September 11, 2001. It never gets any easier. But remembrance of such an act should never be easy.
Where was I on the morning of September 10, 2001? I don't remember if I was at work or if that was my night to work reference. I think I was at work.
However, I know where I was the next day at 8:46. I was indeed at work, sitting in front of my computer. Just after 9:00 my parents called me to tell me that planes had hit the World Trade Center. My brother had called after the first plane hit to tell them it couldn't be an accident. While he was on the phone, the second plane hit. Only seventeen minutes had passed. They called me to let me know what had happened.
Where were you on September 11, 2001 when you heard that a plane had hit the north tower of the World Trade Center? Were you at work? Were you at home? Were you traveling? Did you wake up to the news? Were you watching the television when Flight 175 hit the south tower? Had you already realized that something was going on or was that your first sign that the attack was organized?
I quickly logged into NPR. I couldn't get any video feeds and I knew that people who worked in radio would give me descriptions. It wasn't very long until I heard about the Pentagon.
How did you spend the 35 minutes until the Pentagon was hit? There were 125 people who died in the Pentagon and another 64 people who died on Flight 77.
There was such confusion and worry and it was reflected in the media reports. Was there another hijacked plane? Or was it two? Only slowly were the facts discovered and spread as planes landed all over the country.
Did you experience a fierce joy that the passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 fought back and the hijackers’ plans were foiled? Did you then mourn for the loss of those heroic passengers?
One of my coworkers called her son and asked him to bring a TV to work. We gathered in her office to see what happened and to not be alone. We saw sights which still move me to tears -- both of horror and anger.
Did you see the people choosing to jump from the burning towers? Once the television stations realized that the falling objects were not debris, but people, they didn’t repeat those clips. Did you wonder what you would choose to do in those circumstances and feel your throat tighten with emotion as you contemplated the choice?
We watched. It seemed a lifetime, but it was not even an hour after the TV arrived before the towers were gone. There was a collective gasp and someone moaned, "No." But there was nothing any of us could do to stop it.
Did you watch the towers fall? Did you even watch it in real time? Or were you preparing to defend our country against further attacks? Were you one of the people who mobilized to go help the people in NYC? Or were you one of the many people who volunteered (or returned) to serve in the armed forces, even if you were too old or unfit for active duty?
There were 2,974 lives (not counting the 19 hijackers) lost. That included 411 emergency workers who died while they were trying to save others. I didn't lose anyone I knew personally, but I still grieve for those who lost loved ones.
Nine years -- almost a decade -- have passed. But we owe those who died on that day a duty. Do not forget them. They and their families deserve to be remembered.
Do something constructive with your remembrance today. Promise yourself to spend time with your family. Live your life to the fullest. Love your country and honor its Constitution.
Do not forget the people in the military who stand between us and those who would repeat the acts of that day and would try to destroy all that the United States stands for. Some have given their lives so that we can remain free. Others have sacrificed their health. They and their families deserve our thanks.
"This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world." -- President George W. Bush
Let us not forget, but keep our resolve to defend freedom and what is just and good.
Remembrance is what the living owe on this day.
Each year I try to set down words to remind myself of September 11, 2001. It never gets any easier. But remembrance of such an act should never be easy.
Where was I on the morning of September 10, 2001? I don't remember if I was at work or if that was my night to work reference. I think I was at work.
However, I know where I was the next day at 8:46. I was indeed at work, sitting in front of my computer. Just after 9:00 my parents called me to tell me that planes had hit the World Trade Center. My brother had called after the first plane hit to tell them it couldn't be an accident. While he was on the phone, the second plane hit. Only seventeen minutes had passed. They called me to let me know what had happened.
Where were you on September 11, 2001 when you heard that a plane had hit the north tower of the World Trade Center? Were you at work? Were you at home? Were you traveling? Did you wake up to the news? Were you watching the television when Flight 175 hit the south tower? Had you already realized that something was going on or was that your first sign that the attack was organized?
I quickly logged into NPR. I couldn't get any video feeds and I knew that people who worked in radio would give me descriptions. It wasn't very long until I heard about the Pentagon.
How did you spend the 35 minutes until the Pentagon was hit? There were 125 people who died in the Pentagon and another 64 people who died on Flight 77.
There was such confusion and worry and it was reflected in the media reports. Was there another hijacked plane? Or was it two? Only slowly were the facts discovered and spread as planes landed all over the country.
Did you experience a fierce joy that the passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 fought back and the hijackers’ plans were foiled? Did you then mourn for the loss of those heroic passengers?
One of my coworkers called her son and asked him to bring a TV to work. We gathered in her office to see what happened and to not be alone. We saw sights which still move me to tears -- both of horror and anger.
Did you see the people choosing to jump from the burning towers? Once the television stations realized that the falling objects were not debris, but people, they didn’t repeat those clips. Did you wonder what you would choose to do in those circumstances and feel your throat tighten with emotion as you contemplated the choice?
We watched. It seemed a lifetime, but it was not even an hour after the TV arrived before the towers were gone. There was a collective gasp and someone moaned, "No." But there was nothing any of us could do to stop it.
Did you watch the towers fall? Did you even watch it in real time? Or were you preparing to defend our country against further attacks? Were you one of the people who mobilized to go help the people in NYC? Or were you one of the many people who volunteered (or returned) to serve in the armed forces, even if you were too old or unfit for active duty?
There were 2,974 lives (not counting the 19 hijackers) lost. That included 411 emergency workers who died while they were trying to save others. I didn't lose anyone I knew personally, but I still grieve for those who lost loved ones.
Nine years -- almost a decade -- have passed. But we owe those who died on that day a duty. Do not forget them. They and their families deserve to be remembered.
Do something constructive with your remembrance today. Promise yourself to spend time with your family. Live your life to the fullest. Love your country and honor its Constitution.
Do not forget the people in the military who stand between us and those who would repeat the acts of that day and would try to destroy all that the United States stands for. Some have given their lives so that we can remain free. Others have sacrificed their health. They and their families deserve our thanks.
"This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world." -- President George W. Bush
Let us not forget, but keep our resolve to defend freedom and what is just and good.
Remembrance is what the living owe on this day.
posted by Federation Commander at 10:31 AM
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