I’m not a big fan of ‘recent’ history. I like reading and watching show telling all about WWII. I do not read or watch anything about the Vietnam War. I honor the men and women who served in that war, but I don’t want to talk about it.
I feel that way about 9-11. It may have been twenty years ago but I just realized how raw the wound still is. Mollie came over last we and we were watching something about the remembrance. I was doing fine until I tried to speak, then I just sobbed and the tears flowed. It’s happened a couple more times. Evidently I still can’t talk about it. Not out loud.
Although the whole country was affected, I only had few personal ties with NYC at the time. LJ was only in the eighth grade. I was teaching in the same school building and I came by his classroom. I felt I just had to see him. But I wasn’t going to go in, I didn’t want to embarrass him. However, his teacher saw me in the hall and motioned for me to come in. LJ wasn’t embarrassed, he reached out and took my hand. I think he realized how much I needed to touch him. I remember his hand being ice cold. I left quickly knowing I’d never stop crying if I started.
During my planning time I remember standing in the office with the principal and several other teachers staring at the TV when the first tower fell. Nothing in this lifetime has shocked me more. No one said a word, we were like statues.
I think about my cousin who lived in NYC at the time. His son was ten and attended the school where his mom taught. His daughter was beginning high school. My cousin had gone with his daughter for the first three days, letting her take the lead on which subway and which bus to take. He wanted to make sure she knew how to get there by herself. But on the fourth day they let her go alone. That was the morning of 9-11.
Her school was closer to the towers than his office. He walked the four miles to her school and got her. Then they walked the seven miles home. I think of this family when I think of 9-11. I think about the mother and son waiting at home and how she had no idea where her daughter and husband were. Then I imagine how she felt when they came in the door.
Give me another twenty years and maybe I can talk about it with out crying. I know that right now I can't write about it without crying.
Hi PK, I think we all remember exactly where we were and what we were doing that day. It's still raw materials 20 years later.
ReplyDeleteRemembering those who lost their lives, or love ones that day and the many who have been impacted in the years since, and continue to be impacted.
Hugs
Roz
There are some news stories that stay with you. The Kennedy assignation, walking on the moon and certainly 9-11. We'll have these memories as long as we have memories.
Deletegosh, i remember watching the news on the telly. it was in the wee hours of the morning for me when i saw the ticker tape newsflash across my screen.
ReplyDeletemy cousin was working at the WTC at the time and i was panicked. turns out he was on the way to work, felt sick, turned around and walked back to his apartment to call in sick. and never went into the office that day.
That tummy bug saved his life.
I still get goosebumps when I think about it.
How lucky he was! I've heard stories like this, people not where they usually were on that morning. But so very many were there.
DeleteRaw is the correct word. I remember working that day and panicking. I wanted my kids next to me but had 30 kids to take care of as well. It was awful. I had a cousin in NY. And to this day I remember her call with me. The emotion…..
ReplyDeleteShe wasn’t hurt but the impact of walking home that day…. Traveling miles home. Tears.
I've often wondered how I would have coped it LJ had been living there at the time. I had my students and I was lucky LJ was at my school. I desperately wanted to call Mollie, but she was only eight and all I could have done was cried when I heard her voice. So I waited.
DeleteNo one will forget where they were that day. I was at work, and everyone was crowded into the training room to watch it unfold on TV.
ReplyDeleteA terrible day for the world.
Hugs,
Hermione
It was. Because I was giving a standardized test both towers had been hit before I turned on the TV. I was still trying to get my mind wrapped around it when the Pentagon was hit and I realized it was still going on.
DeleteWe live with in a half hour from NYC. My son was an EMT at the time. How proud and how scared I was when he volunteered to go help. He was stationed on the NJ side and treated what they called the walking wounded. The people who walked thru the tunnel to get to NJ. The looks in their eyes my son said, was so scary, so sad, so telling. But then yesterday when I unexpectedly came on a street that was high on a hill and looking directly at the Freedom Tower, I cried. I cried for all lost and I cried with joy as it represented our power as a nation. Keep believing! We are strong.
ReplyDeleteI told my kids to watch for the helpers when they watched the coverage - think about them and not the terrorist. Your son was one of the helpers. Yes, proud and scared would have had to be your overall feeling. I'm proud of the Freedom Tower but still a tiny bit afraid for it.
DeleteI was heading to a client in Brooklyn (by the Brooklyn Bridge) when I heard on the news. A few blocks later I had a good few of the towers. It clearly was not accident because the plane was dead center of the tower.
ReplyDeleteEveryone on the bridge was stopped, so I did. While I went back to my car the second plane hit.
At that point, I thought the bridge might be next and drove as fast as traffic would allow to get off the bridge. Leaving my car in Brooklyn, I took the subway home and the site without the towers has stayed with me.
Rob of NYC
I can only imagine how deeply that day was imprinted on your mind. My son always wanted to live in NYC. He does now, but he's mentioned having almost wanted to have been there then. As terrifying as it would have been, he wanted to share the pain of his beloved city.
DeleteHey PK,
ReplyDeleteI am with you. I can't talk about it. I was in the downtown core financial district of our major city here. Scared me so badly. Took FOREVER to get home. Had to turn off the news for DAYS if not longer.
I didn't know anyone in NYC, but it didn't matter. It brought home how unsafe our world is. I cannot fathom what your cousin went through.
We will never forget and I am proud of how Canada helped where we could, but the world shattered that day. I am still not sure it has recovered from that.
Hugs and love
Boo
It was a horrible day for the world. There have been several 'world-changing' events in my life time. Sadly none of these changes has been for the better.
DeleteWe all remember where we were. I was at the office when I first heard, went home and for the rest of the day I couldn't take my eyes of the TV. A day no one will forget.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Ronnie
xx
You're right, no one will forget. I usually don't like days that the whole world remembers.
Delete