My Memories of 9/11
Today is the 10-year anniversary of the attacks that brought down the World Trade Center in New York City, an event known forevermore simply as 9/11. It was impossible not to be impacted by it in some way. For my journal entry today I want to talk a little about my experience on 9/11/2001, in short form (to the extent I can manage that, anyway).
That morning for me started like any other. I had just started my first job in my previous career the week before, and was going to work bank reconciliations solo that day as follow-up to training I had done. About 45 minutes passed of this the way things usually go in the office.
That's when the first plane hit the Twin Towers. One of the senior partners showed up at the office across from my cube. He had a news report in his hand. The story was about an American Airlines jet that had just crashed into one of the twin towers. Like many, many other people, I thought at first that a tragic accident had taken place.
9:03 a.m. changed that. That's when a second plane hit the towers. Shortly thereafter both towers were no more, collapsing onto themselves in a deadly, sickening scene. There were no TVs in the office so we could not see what was happening live. But the same senior partner who caught the initial report went around providing updates as he got them, and for many minutes it was like the office just froze. Nobody said much, if anything. The most I asked was how many planes were involved. I thought it was four...instead I was shown five fingers.
And I could feel a lump in my throat.
The workday proceeded onward...but honestly, I wish it hadn't. I couldn't stop thinking about what was going on once it became clear what happened. In my heart I wondered if Boston (which was nearby) was a target as well but couldn't find it in me to say anything, I was so scared.
Later, when I came home, the Boston Globe had a special edition printed and it was waiting on my steps. It was all about the attacks from that morning, nothing else. The Globe never publishes special editions for anything, period. That's how severe 9/11/2001 was.
On the surface, it does look often like I've moved on from it. But I have to tell you...I haven't. In my heart, since I've always been concerned about safety, 9/11 will probably stay with me forever. It's almost like a new mantra came into my mind that day: "Forget danger, I can't be safe anyway."
That morning for me started like any other. I had just started my first job in my previous career the week before, and was going to work bank reconciliations solo that day as follow-up to training I had done. About 45 minutes passed of this the way things usually go in the office.
That's when the first plane hit the Twin Towers. One of the senior partners showed up at the office across from my cube. He had a news report in his hand. The story was about an American Airlines jet that had just crashed into one of the twin towers. Like many, many other people, I thought at first that a tragic accident had taken place.
9:03 a.m. changed that. That's when a second plane hit the towers. Shortly thereafter both towers were no more, collapsing onto themselves in a deadly, sickening scene. There were no TVs in the office so we could not see what was happening live. But the same senior partner who caught the initial report went around providing updates as he got them, and for many minutes it was like the office just froze. Nobody said much, if anything. The most I asked was how many planes were involved. I thought it was four...instead I was shown five fingers.
And I could feel a lump in my throat.
The workday proceeded onward...but honestly, I wish it hadn't. I couldn't stop thinking about what was going on once it became clear what happened. In my heart I wondered if Boston (which was nearby) was a target as well but couldn't find it in me to say anything, I was so scared.
Later, when I came home, the Boston Globe had a special edition printed and it was waiting on my steps. It was all about the attacks from that morning, nothing else. The Globe never publishes special editions for anything, period. That's how severe 9/11/2001 was.
On the surface, it does look often like I've moved on from it. But I have to tell you...I haven't. In my heart, since I've always been concerned about safety, 9/11 will probably stay with me forever. It's almost like a new mantra came into my mind that day: "Forget danger, I can't be safe anyway."
Replies
I can remember that day all too well...and I had the same horrible feeling when we all realized that it was no accident. I hope you can find the strength to overcome your fears. If you don\'t, in a small but significant way, those horrible people who hijacked the planes have won :( Don\'t let them win! They don\'t deserve it!