Friday, September 11, 2009

In Remembrance

There are those who would say, "Let it go. It's been eight years already!!" Yes, it has been eight years. Eight very long years; for our country and for me personally.

I remember that day like it was yesterday. I was newly engaged to my Army soldier, my two children, Alex and Shane, had just started the new school year (3rd and 6th grades!!), and I was working very hard for a promotion in my sales job. Everyone was happily busy and focused. I was in love. All was right with the world.

I was watching CNN that Tuesday morning, still in my nightgown but doing my paperwork for my sales meeting that evening. I never did get dressed that day. Or go to my meeting. Because like the rest of the country, I was in shock. And I was scared. The anger would come later, but at first there was just confusion and the fear.
As a New Yorker, born and bred, I KNEW that this was no "accident". They kept calling it an accident but I told my tv that it was NO accident. I couldn't quite wrap my mind around the fact that this was a deliberate attack, but I knew it wasn't an accident. It should have registered, as the towers had been attacked before. But this was just so........huge, and violent, and awful.
I saw the second plane hit. I saw it live. I saw this explosion. I know I was just sitting there, on my couch in my nightgown, with my mouth hanging wide open. The fires, the people hanging out of windows........the people jumping. Thomas came home and we sat together, and just stared at the tv. We had no idea what was going on. We had no idea that this day, would so impact our lives completely. Because he's a soldier, and war has just been declared.
And then the towers came down. If you never got to see them in person, you can't fully grasp this. The towers were such an essential part of the city, the waterfront. Having them gone was like looking at a beautiful woman with her front teeth knocked out. And in their destruction, dozens of other buildings came down or were rendered useless and beyond repair. It was just a gutted, smoldering crime scene.
The newscasters were just as confused as the rest of the country. Reports of casualties were grossly overestimated. Rumors were flying everywhere. Slowly news of the attack on the Pentagon filtered in, and then later the crash in Pennsylvania. Over the course of weeks and months, information was reviewed and the terrorist plot was pieced together.
And America was changed.
The loss of lives, the destruction, the chaos, the fear; they all took their toll on the American psyche. We were hit. Hard. And we never saw it coming. But as always, we took charge, rallied ourselves, pick ourselves up and went forward. National guard and Reserve troops were called up to assist the brave police and fire departments. Active duty troops were on high alert. The Taliban apparently didn't study history very well. Otherwise they might have remembered Pearl Harbor, and the result of firing the first shot at Lady Liberty!
Our military. Still fighting in a war on two fronts, eight years later. They deserve our respect, admiration and gratitude as much now, as then. I assure you, they haven't forgotten and never will!

24 comments:

Brooke said...

the people falling/jumping from the building. i don't even want to imagine having to make the choice of staying and facing the fire versus going out the window and facing the alternative. :(

sweetjeanette said...

I, too, will never, ever forget!
Thank you for your post. I posted of my means of "remembering" too.I hope there will be many, many more who do too. Not to be morbid, but to remember so we never have to repeat that day again. Dropping by from SITS.

sweetjeanette.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

No words can say what I feel about today. you said it well.

Tam said...

It has affected all of us one way or another...

Heatherlyn said...

The soldiers will always deserve respect and gratitude.

There are many days in history that should never be forgotten. I fear that too many of them are being forgotten in the rewrites of history. But we can remember and we can teach our children.

Michelle said...

That was a very moving post. I posted my rememberance today too. I remember the whole day really clearly. I watched the 2nd plane hit on tv too and just sat there dumbfounded.

LadyStyx said...

I still remember that day...

Kristina P. said...

I was in NYC in 2000, for the first time, and was able to see the towers. I have been to Ground Zero several times since then and it's always such a solemn experience.

It does sort of bother me that there are all these vendors set up along the perimeter, capitalizing on the tradegy.

There is a fire station directly across the street, and they lost a lot of their men. We only buy shirt and things from them because the money supports the station and the families.

Pam said...

I was teaching school that day and remember thinking that our world would be changed forever because of this tragedy.

Alicia said...

man, that post gave me chills...to this day it still shocks me...and having grown up in a military family and having family still in active service i am so grateful when i see posts like these....my prayers are with all the families affected by this tragedy and the brave soldiers who fight tirelessly to defend our freedoms...

Intense Guy said...

I remember that day too.

My younger brother was in Boston and scheduled to fly home that very evening. After a 2 day wait, he was finally able to rent a car and come home. Every in my family just wanted him to ... get home, to be home, to be with the rest of us - together.

AiringMyLaundry said...

Beautiful tribute.

I hope no one would say to let it go. I don't think it's even possible.

Mrs. M said...

I bought the New York Times book that came out "A Nation Challenged" and I haven't really been able to bring myself to really look at it, even now. Such a horrifying day.

Janelle said...

Thank you to your soldier, and all others that fight to keep our freedom.

Beautifully said.

scrappysue said...

it's remembered the world over

Mimi said...

I can't ever get through this day well. I posted on both my & Oskar's blog.

Liz Mays said...

Beautifully done, Jeannie.

That day will never leave us.

I truly wish they had erected the towers again though.

ChicagoLady said...

Well done. Please thank Thomas for me, for defending our country, and being Army strong for all of us. I'm so glad he came home safely to you.

Vickie said...

Oh No...I could never forget! It still feels fresh to me.

I remember I was still a new mom. Lindsey was just 9 months old. I was driving to my Mom's to hang with her and heard it all on the radio. When I got home, Jason and I looked at each other and hugged.

Sarah said...

Here from SITS roll call. I watched the History Channel last night and they had pieced together footage from various people at the scene. Very intense. The feelings I had that day as I listened on the radio while I painted my first apartment states away in the Midwest and later crying my eyes out at the tragic events that happened all came flooding back. Our world will never be the same.
Thanks to your Hubs for all he does! We appreciate it more than words can say.

AliceKay said...

Wonderful post. I don't believe anyone who was old enough to watch a tv on that particular day will ever forget what happened. I remember coming home from work, turning on the tv, and standing there motionless...not believing what I was seeing. What unbelievable destruction.

My brother-in-law worked for the American Red Cross at the time, and he went down there to work for a couple of months. He went back a few months later for another couple of months. He has some horror stories from his trips down there, but he also some rewarding moments.

KatCollects said...

Jeannie,
This was a beautiful post. And yes I remember, and I always will. I have more information on Matthew's new unit. I have some questions, of course, : ) I will be emailing you soon.
Hugs,
Kathy

Anonymous said...

I remember.

Shan G said...

I remember. I cannot forget.

Great post. I posted my own as well. This country is forever and irrevocably changed because of that day. And I KNEW before I heard any reporter say it, that it was Bin Laden. It was unfinished business.

You know how I feel about our soldiers...it is because of them that we have our freedom...it was paid for by their blood, sweat and tears.

Never forget. Never surrender.

9/11...I Still Remember. I Cannot Forget