If you’ve been living under a rock for the last couple weeks, today is the 5th year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. I was going to say “The World Trade Center” attacks, but really, it was much more than that. It was an attack on the Pentagon, as well, an attack on flight 93, an attack against our way of life, an attack on our freedom.
I remember when I was younger, people would always say that there were certain events in the world that you would always remember where you are when they happened. “Where were you when JFK died?” was the one I always heard. For me, it was “Where were you when Princess Diana died?” But really, it only kind of remembered what I was doing when I saw the news she died.
But I remember September 11th, 2001. I remember it clearly. Here’s what I had written in 2002, one year later:
On the morning of September 11th, I was later for work that I usually am. Before running out the door, the TV was on the Today show, which was showing images of the World Trade Center on fire. Katie Couric was reporting that it was an airplane that hit the building, and that chances are it was accidental, there was no cause to suspect foul play. I left, and when I got to work, my coworkers immediately came to me and said ‘They shut down Sears Tower. It’s been evacuated.’ I was really confused. I asked ‘Is this because of the plane that hit the world trade center?’ And they replied, ‘Plane? There were two.’ I had no clue what was going on.
At work, we tried accessing the internet to find out what was going on, but there was too much traffic on CNN and MSNBC. This was a time before blogs were popular, so there was nowhere to get information. Even though we had a little radio, in our building it’s hard for us to get reception on radios, so we couldn’t get news on that, either. All the information came from clients that called, and by calling our homes. My late shift coworker told us about the Pentagon. Another client told us that O’Hare was hit. We didn’t know what was the truth, and we were not aware of the scope of the horror that was happening in New York. We didn’t know that the towers fell, we didn’t know that the plane crashed in Pennsylvania. All we knew was that we’re one of the tallest buildings in downtown Chicago, and that we could be a target, or close to one. Being on the 33rd floor, I can see the Sears Tower outside of my window, and the John Hancock building outside of another. We were watching both that morning.
We weren’t aware of the horrors that were going on in New York, so we just continued working. We even had a team meeting and got chewed out by the president of our company for getting an angry email from a client. We heard from the building that a lot of companies were closing for the day, we were told by management that we would stay. We angrily continued to work, getting information from people on the phones, debatin on just leaving for our safety.
Finally, at 1pm, they evacuated our building. For some reason, we didn’t feel like going home. We went to the local sports bar that we normally hang out at and sat and watched all the different news stations. We sat there in disbelief as we saw image after image. Drinks that we ordered sat untouched as we watched footage of the towers fall. I felt like crying, but I was too stunned, the tears wouldn’t fall. Hardly any words were spoken, other than ‘This is surreal’, ‘Can you believe this?’. But no answers were expected. After we couldn’t take anymore, we went home. Downtown Chicago was a ghostown, nothing was open.
Coming home, I just watched more TV with my father and sisters, hours and hours of it, as if it would give some reason for the madness. We sat there and watched news anchors who had reported on all sorts of terrible things come close to breaking down. I watched until I couldn’t take it anymore, no matter how much I watched, it never made any sense.
I’ve watched a couple of the tribute shows for 9/11. I admit that I still watch to make sense of it all. But this time, rather than feeling an overwhelming feeling of sadness when watching, I feel pride at the actions of so many of the heroes on that day. From the firemen who went in, knowing they might not come out to the ordinary people who helped each other - searching for survivors or helping people down the stairs. There were so many stories of heroism, people selflessly sacrificing themselves to help others. It’s been said that New Yorkers are uncaring, rude people (sorry Denizzy!) but they showed their true colors on that day, and every day since.
The world is a different place today. There’s a sense of caution that wasn’t there before. Chances are, they will try again, and they may succeed. But it’s not going to be easy. They’re not going to catch us off guard so easily again.
Though I am far from a country music lover, I heard Alan Jackson singing this song on the Today show a couple weeks ago, and reflects a lot of the feelings that linger today:
Where Were You
by Alan Jackson
Where were you when the world stopped turnin’
that September day?
Out in the yard with your wife and children;
Or working on some stage in L.A.?
Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke
Rising against that blue sky?
Did you shout out in anger in fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry?
Did you weep for the children
that lost their dear loved ones?
Did you pray for the ones who don’t know?
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
and sob for the ones left below?
Did you burst out in pride for the red white and blue
And the heroes who died just doin’ what they do?
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer?
And look at yourself for what really matters?
I’m just a singer of simple songs;
I’m not a real political man
I watch CNN, but I’m not sure I can tell you the difference
in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, Hope and Love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is Love.
Where were you when the world stopped turning
That September day?
Teaching a class full of innocent children;
Driving down some cold interstate?
Did you feel guilty ’cause you’re a survivor
in a crowded room did you feel alone?
Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her?
Did you dust off that bible at home?
Did you open your eyes hope it never happened;
And close your eyes and not go to sleep?
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages;
Or speak to some stranger on the street?
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow;
Go out and buy you a gun?
Did you turn off that violent old movie you’re watchin’
And turn on “I Love Lucy” reruns?
Did you go to a church and hold hands with some strangers?
Stand in line and give your own blood?
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love?
Where were you when the world stopped turnin’
that September day?
Tags: Daily by Yano
2 Comments »
