I have brought this post back from last year. Watching the memorial services on TV this morning, it has brought it back so vividly, again.
I remember it so clearly: it comes back to me every time that fateful day is mentioned. I have to put it into words now.
Bob and I were having breakfast. We had the TV on as usual – but not really paying attention to the show, whatever it was. The phone rang. It was unusual for the phone to ring before 9 am. It was my daughter, calling from work.
She asked if we had the TV on. She sounded upset. She told us to turn to the news channel – we usually watched CNN. “A plane crashed into one of the Twin Towers!”
As we watched, the camera picked up another visual: Another plane was headed to the other Twin Tower! Bob and I gasped in disbelief. We were watching what millions of people were probably watching at the same time. The newscasters were beyond words. They were shouting and scrambling for words. This couldn’t be happening!
But it was.
Then the news reported there was a plane that crashed right into the Pentagon, and then another plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. It seemed as if the world – our world – was being turned upside down.
And those scenes were played over and over and over. I couldn’t watch. Every time there was a replay, I turned it off. It was too upsetting.
Some time later, I found out that a cousin of mine had a meeting scheduled in one of the Towers, but, at the last minute, it was moved to another venue. Speaking of timing! She was supposed to be there, but then again, she wasn’t supposed to be there. It was not her time.
And, one of my neighbors, here in Florida, lost a son. He was one of those courageous firefighters who, unlike most of us who would run from a fire, ran towards it with the one goal in mind: to save people.
It was another “date which will live in infamy.”
Sunshinebright 
I was working at a preschool when someone heard the news on the radio and word quickly spread from teacher to teacher, classroom to classroom. At first it seemed to be accidental, but when the 2nd plane hit another tower,everyone realized we were under attack. Parents were telephoned to pick up their children. When the last child was picked up, the staff went to pick up their children. It all felt surreal. I can still remember the relief of finding my child, Paul, all right, And now each and every time I hear of more violence and war in the world, I think of the mothers being unable to keep their children safe and I grieve for them.
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Reading this post sent chills down my spine. I am from India (currently staying in US) and I still remember that day. All of us were shocked and glued to the news on TV. Next day in school, all of us were discussing about the horrifying incident including the teachers and we prayed for the victims and their families. It’s like the entire world had united.
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It was too much to comprehend what was before us at first. The sight of those planes crashing into the Towers is etched in my mind. There were so many signs of what those men were planning to do. No one could have imagined what they prepared to do. I appreciate your comment, Smiling Notes!
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I was just lying in bed trying to wake up. I kept hearing new updates on the radio and realized something unspeakably terrible had happened. I’ll never forget the images we then saw.
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Unspeakable – yes. BTW, thanks for following my blog! I appreciate that very much.
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I’ve been following your blog for a while, but I went from using bookmarks back to the reader, which is more convenient!
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