Pondering 9/11

[kedss]

There are no huge reminders of 9/11 where I live. We live less than a couple of hours away from DC, and all I remember from 9/11 was sleeping through all the news coverage(I worked nights then), and walking to my church in the afternoon, knowing nothing about what had happened. That night, instead of the meeting I was supposed to be leading, I was the first to stand and read a slightly anti-war poem to lead a group of stunned friends and people I had attended church with for 4 years. I then listened to people that I knew of as anti-war, peaceful people get up and demand revenge for the deaths in NY and DC.

I stopped going to church within a few months. I found no peace, no way to deal with the acts of 9/11 within a place I had felt at home.

8 years later, I am returning to the same church, as a Sunday School teacher(as I was before) so my son and nephew will have a home base to learn about religion. I'm hoping they will find a home there, as I believe they can if given a chance.

I didn't have children on 9/11/01, they know nothing about the anniversary, and I will not tell them about it today.

[MamaMolly]

I didn't have children on 9/11/01, they know nothing about the anniversary, and I will not tell them about it today.

It will never have the same meaning to our children as is does to those of us who lived though it. I don't know if that is good or bad. I'm not talking about it with DD now, she's only 3 and wouldn't understand. There is time later.

I'm glad you are going back to church. I hope you find a home there.

[Tondi G]

I had a 2 month old child. I was woken early by my husband who was up at 5am to go to work. I sat on the couch nursing my little man wondering what kind of world we had brought him into! It was unbelievable and felt so close yet so far away on the east coast. We kept waiting for what might come on our side of the country. I believe my now 8 year old son knows some of what happened on 9/11/01.... I wonder if his teacher will discuss it with his class today? I suppose I should be prepared for some questions when he comes home in case they do... wanna have good explanations if he does ask.

[Piglet]

I had a 2 month old child. I was woken early by my husband who was up at 5am to go to work. I sat on the couch nursing my little man wondering what kind of world we had brought him into! It was unbelievable and felt so close yet so far away on the east coast. We kept waiting for what might come on our side of the country. I believe my now 8 year old son knows some of what happened on 9/11/01.... I wonder if his teacher will discuss it with his class today? I suppose I should be prepared for some questions when he comes home in case they do... wanna have good explanations if he does ask.

Yes, me too - I remember sitting nursing DS1 in front of the TV. DH even took a picture of me with DS on the couch, though I am not sure why. Everytime I see that picture I remember the moments so vividly - it is a good reminder to never forget.

To the OP - I am not sure I understand why you don't want to tell your children about it. It is a historic event like most every other - tragic and powerful - yet we need to learn from that history and be sure it never is repeated.

[elektra]

I also was awakened by my DH who was up earlier getting ready. I watched the towers fall on TV. We both drove in to work together still, but about half of my office was not there. I was so nervous all day because my office was less than a mile from LAX and nobody knew if more plane hijackings were planned.
One friend in my office had a husband who worked for a company that had a lot of business with the federal govt. and was therefore returning from Dulles. It ended up that he was on the plane that flew into the pentagon. One day at work someone showed up with a binder with pictures of personal items they had found in the rubble. His engraved wedding ring was found. I saw the picture.
I just got together with 2 weeks ago actually, and she is now remarried with a little boy and another girl on the way.
I remember completely doubting my meaningless job and I seriously considered quitting to do something that had a more direct benefit to society. I got over that feeling of wanting to quit eventually, but I do like the idea of 9/11 now officially symbolizing a day to give back/volunteer etc. I have been involved with a charity event that my company is putting on tonight. I know I could do more though.

[daisymommy]

My father was in the Pentagon that day. His old office was in the section that was hit. He had moved into a new office only two months earlier. That day I was at work, in a preschool--our center was in lock-down mode. My mother sat at home alone, watching the events unfold on T.V., calling me periodically to update me on what was happening. I wanted to leave and be with her, but at the same time I had a class of 15 small children depending on me to keep them safe should anything else happen. We had no idea if our entire country was about be under siege. My mother and I had no idea if my father was safe or not. All phones (including cell-phones) were out of commission. We were at home at 4:00 pm. that day when my father came walking up the driveway. He had taken a bus home, as no one was aloud to drive their cars home that day from the Pentagon parking lot. He had been standing outside on the Pentagon lawn for hours watching it burn in disbelief he said. That night he had to go back into work for a strategy meeting. My mother drove him there, and told me it was still burning, at 11:00 at night. I thank God my family is safe today.

[ladysoapmaker]

I was home, waiting for the furnace guy come to do something with my parents' furnace. The guy called saying he was coming and mentioned something. So I turned on the tv and just stared in disbelief. I just sat and held Michael the entire day. I don't remember seeing the 2nd plane hit in real time but I do remember the smoke streaming out and the towers collapsing and everything else. My sister was working and spent the entire moring trying to get a hold of one of her co-worker's sisters. the lady worked in the towers and had not gone in that morning due to the dog being sick. One of my aunts worked in the Pentagon and nobody could get a hold of her. It turned out she was in surgery that morning. We were very happy none of our family was harmed but grieved for everyone else.

Jen

[mamicka]

9/11 is always a stressful day for me. I, too, remember in like it was yesterday. We have a few connections to people we know either being close to the WTC or should have been in the WTC at the time of the attacks, but weren't for strange reasons.

We missed being in the Madrid bombing by just a few hours, so I always think about that today, too. I'll be telling my kids about for the first time today & we're flying our flag.

[firstbaby]

My husband's sister died at the Pentagon. My family is still heartbroken and I have a hard time sharing with anyone IRL that doesn't know without wanting to throw up and feeling like I can't speak. It breaks my heart that her two young children (one was 3 and one was almost 2) have little to no memory of her. And I think she would thought my kids were really cool too.

[maestramommy]

Dh and I got engaged two weeks before 9/11. We only saw each other on weekends, but I was on pins and needles before we saw each other again. I just wanted to know he was okay. Very irrational, since we were both in CA at the time, no where near the events. I woke up to the news of the first crash and saw the second crash before i lseft for work.

my cousin's dh worked high up in the twin towers but missed the bombing both times because he was late for work! he wasn't able to contact his wife for hours on 9/11. i can't imagine the stress she must've been under.

I was still teaching at the time. When my HS students showed up, I asked if they wanted to talk about it at all, and they said, "no please! Our teachers have been talking about it all day!" So we had regular class instead (practice practice practice!), and they all felt much better by the time they left.

at some point i stopped watching the news altogether because it was just too much.

[Kitten007]

Praying for those still hurting and sad from these events. May God watch over us. May this never ever happen again.

God Bless everyone today! (and everyday!)

[kellyd]

I truly still don't think I've fully processed 9/11. That morning I was at the funeral for my parents, and didn't know what was going on till mid afternoon. I can't think about today w/o thinking about my parents, and can't get past that to actually figure out how I feel about the events of 9/11. The absolute worst assignment I can ever imagine my child bringing home from school, and I know it's going to happen, is where were you when the plans flew into the WTC...

[shawnandangel]

I was in my high school French class when the second tower was hit. We watched it happen. I remember saying "a plane hit the second tower" and my teacher saying "no, they're just replaying. . oh my god!"

I had several friends in that class and we joined hands and formed a prayer circle and prayed. When I graduated my teacher told me whenever she thought about 9.11.01 our prayer circle is what came to mind.

We had a trip to Chicago planned about a week after 9.11 and we cancelled. I finally got to see Chicago for the first time a few weeks ago and it made me think about the events that happened all over again.

[bubbaray]

DH was up early and saw the first plane crash on CNN. He woke me up and we both saw the 2nd plane crash. I saw both towers fall on CNN.

One of my best friends was in Boston, flying home to the WestCoast that morning. Thankfully, she was not on any of the planes involved, but still. Very scary.

I didn't have children then. I won't be telling the girls about it today. They won't know how different the world was prior to 9/11 anyway. They think border security and airline security is the norm.

[vonfirmath]

I remember waking up and on the radio they were talking about the tragedy of this plane had hit the first tower in New York City and how the last time this had happened was back in the 50s (I think) -- to the Eiffel Tower. And some discussion of how this happens, how planes might miss...

and then the second tower was hit.

And my immediate thought "That's no accident, we're at war".

Then, I remember talk of the plane around the Pentagon (It was thought at the time that it was a smaller plane, not a jet)

And talks of what planes are missing, etc.

And being at work, talking online with folk who had spent Labor Day weekend in New York City (most of my friends were there that Labor Day Weekend and I really missed not being able to go) and one said that her aunt had been called from a friend with a cellphone on a hijacked plane and I totally poo-pooed the idea. "What hijacker would let the passengers use a cellphone" -- I was wrong. All sorts of history was changing that day.

And the airports being shut down. And the fear of "when will the next shoe drop" And being thankful my dad, who is a travelling teacher on the east coast, didn't have any classes scheduled that week.

And recording all the TV coverage that day, after the second tower collapsed (The second being the first to collapse). Even leaving it recording as I went to work (but I've never been able to look at it since).

I was working for Boeing at the time and there was also a lot of worry about how this would affect us. The planes that hit the towers were Boeing planes, after all. Yeah, it wasn't our fault, but it had to affect the flying public, which would affect airlines wanting to buy planes, etc.

In the aftermath, I tried to enlist but they wanted me to get my weight down. (which I was never able to do :( ) And my friends encouraged me to finish my degree so I'd be an officer instead. But I started living the "boot camp" schedule I found online, to see if I could do it while I worked.

[wendibird22]

I work on a college campus and was in a meeting with high level administrators about an issue, one that seemed like a large issue at the time. As the meeting wrapped up a secretary mentioned a plane crash in NYC and we turned on a tv to catch a bit of the very early news reports. By the time I had walked back to my office in another building the 2nd plane hit and students, faculty, and staff just stood in stunned silence around tvs across campus. Being in W. NY we have many, many who are from or have family in NYC.

At that time I had already booked reservations for a conference in DC the week after Thanksgiving and my flight was for Reagan Int Airport. For months after the airport was closed and I wasn't sure if I'd have to make other flight arrangements or if I even still wanted to be in DC just 2mos later. Reagan did reopen and being able to see the burned out Pentagon from the air was mind blowing. I did take time away from the conference to go to the Pentagon and see it from the ground and pay my respects. The memory is still very vivid.

[jgenie]

We had just moved to NY and bought our house - we closed a month before 9/11. DH was out of the country on a trip and couldn't get a flight home for almost a week. I swear if my mom had been able to reach through the phone lines she would have yanked me back home and not let me come back to NY. I flew back to see my family about a month after 9/11 - I can still see my DH's face as I got ready to board the plane - he was worried about me flying and the possibility that I wouldn't be returning. I've never been to Ground Zero - have had people visit us that have gone but I've never joined them - the reality that DH or I could have been in those buildings that day is too close for comfort.

Prayers for all the victims and families of 9/11.

[bubbaray]

I forgot to mention that. DH has been to Ground Zero. He said it was very moving. I dunno if I'd be able to go.

[rlu]

I truly still don't think I've fully processed 9/11. That morning I was at the funeral for my parents, and didn't know what was going on till mid afternoon. I can't think about today w/o thinking about my parents, and can't get past that to actually figure out how I feel about the events of 9/11. The absolute worst assignment I can ever imagine my child bringing home from school, and I know it's going to happen, is where were you when the plans flew into the WTC...


Hugs. I can't imagine what you've gone through. But I understand the personal tragedies that intertwine themselves with larger events. We were in D.C. in April 2001 for a conference, doing the tourist-y things including a tour of the Pentagon and visiting the areas where FIL had lived for a while, when we got the call that FIL had cancer. He passed 12 weeks later. FIL was a former Marine whose father was career Navy and worked out of the Pentagon during FIL's high-school years. Our thoughts of 9/11 are inextrictably intertwined with FIL's passing.

[MamaMolly]

I truly still don't think I've fully processed 9/11. That morning I was at the funeral for my parents, and didn't know what was going on till mid afternoon. I can't think about today w/o thinking about my parents, and can't get past that to actually figure out how I feel about the events of 9/11. The absolute worst assignment I can ever imagine my child bringing home from school, and I know it's going to happen, is where were you when the plans flew into the WTC...

:grouphug: I have no words except that I'm so, so, so sorry.

[westgre]

I was in vet school at the time in Alabama. I remember that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Later I found out that a girl from my high school class from WV (Mary Lou Hague) was in the second tower. She did not make it. I remember two months later I was surprised by a pregnancy that was unplanned. 9/11 put things into perspective and I was grateful for the new life given to me. In January I miscarried. All of those events are intertwined in my mind. Today I thank God for the blessing of my three live children and pray for Mary Lou's family and all families affected by 9/11 that they may find some peace.

[trales]

I was living just outside NYC at the time. Mostly, I remember the cars not leaving the commuter rail station for days afterward. As I drove by the full parking lot, I could not help but cry for days. One day all the cars were gone. It was really unsettling.

We have been to ground zero a number of times when visiting in the IL's.