9 years ago this day, almost any American you ask will know down to the detail what they were doing and where they were. Me, I was standing in the lobby area, on the 28th floor of my work building, watching in disbelief and then horror as two planes hit the two World Trade Center buildings. We all watched stunned, for what seemed like forever, but in reality was only about 15 minutes, and then finally walked back to our offices. I sat down in my chair and looked out my window over the District of Columbia and thought, "Could that happen here?" Not moments after I had those thoughts I heard loud running all over the floor of our building. For although our building had a wonderful front view of the District of Columbia, it's stunning architecture and beautiful monuments, the backside of our building now had a horrific view of a plane that had just flow into the Pentagon. Amazing that one building can produce two amazingly different pictures depending upon which side you stood. I, to this day have never seen a building clear so fast, as we grabbed purses, bags and friends and flew out of the building. My friend and I traveled away from DC that day, watching numerous fire engines, police cars and ambulances heading the opposite way into chaos. How eerily quiet the trip home was.
I remember sitting on my couch trying to get through to my husband, that was still in DC. No use...phone lines clogged. After 2 hours, I was able to finally reach worried friends and family and assure them that we were okay. My Mother worked in the building immediately up the hill from the Pentagon and she ended up walking halfway home and then finally was able to catch a bus the rest of the way.
It was a sad day, a scary day and one that will certainly be forever etched in my memory. I will be able to tell my granchildren someday, "I remember when..." But, that's not then end of the story. I also remember that day watching story after story of heroic effort and incredible feats of one American after another helping each other. 9/11 was a day where there was no racial boundary or strife. 9/11 was a day when Americans all over the country turned back to the God they often forgot and prayed for their fellow man. 9/11 and the days after did not contain a country that was split in political strife. There was not a Democrat and Republican party...there was the American party. American flags flew off the store shelves in a show of human solidarity unlike I have ever witnessed before. The rich elite and the common man were on equal ground.
Out of the rubble of 9/11 rose countless heroes. Countless stories of selfless actions and reactions. May their stories never die. A couple years ago, I put my feelings into my art and created this tribute to those men, women..fellow Americans that gave us all a reason to cry and yet hope on such a tragic day. May we never forget.... that we as a country can unite in one Spirit in a bond that cannot be broken. We've proven that we can. May it not take another tragedy to prove it again.
May God bless this country and extend His gracious hand over us.
Hi Cheryl: Great layout and thanks for sharing your story; very well written. Work that day was surreal as everyone was either gathered around tv's brought into the office, personally praying, or setting up prayer times for our parishioners (I worked at a church).
ReplyDeleteAbout cell phone lines being overwhelmed that day...remember a lot of the time a text message will get thru where a call won't. Take care.