Eighteen years have passed since 9/11 became more than just a date on the calendar. A whole childhood ago for the children who were born that year. My entire married life has been lived in a post-9/11 world. To my children, it is an event in their history curriculum and on a timeline song. And yet my memories of that day are crystal clear.
I remember working as an itinerant ESOL teacher, and having appointments at different schools all morning.
I remember that every time I got in the car, the news on the radio was worse.
I remember the moment that the South Tower went down, and weeping for that lives lost.
I remember the heroes.
I remember “Let’s roll.”
I remember helping the SRO bring two of my Korean students home because their mom was out of town and they were staying with neighbors. She was not able to get home for a week because planes were grounded.
I remember parents picking their kids up from school, in South Carolina, far from the attacks, because no one felt safe.
I remember rumors that the Mall in Washington D.C. was on fire (it wasn’t) and weeping because I used to live near there and it felt like my back yard has been attacked.
I remember praying with a colleague whose dad worked in the Pentagon.
I remember trying to act normal for the sake of my students.
I remember rushing to Columbia International University, my alma mater, when my work day was over, looking for my boyfriend (now my husband) and friends, where I could focus on listening to the news, and on praying for our country.
I remember crying.
I remember trying to find red, white, and blue ribbon at multiple craft stores and that it was sold out.
I remember spending the weekend with my sister-in-law because my brother had been called up with the Coast Guard.
I remember taking pictures of gas stations on my way to their home and all of the signs saying “God bless America”.
I remember that every time I got in the car, the news on the radio was worse.
I remember the moment that the South Tower went down, and weeping for that lives lost.
I remember the heroes.
I remember “Let’s roll.”
I remember helping the SRO bring two of my Korean students home because their mom was out of town and they were staying with neighbors. She was not able to get home for a week because planes were grounded.
I remember parents picking their kids up from school, in South Carolina, far from the attacks, because no one felt safe.
I remember rumors that the Mall in Washington D.C. was on fire (it wasn’t) and weeping because I used to live near there and it felt like my back yard has been attacked.
I remember praying with a colleague whose dad worked in the Pentagon.
I remember trying to act normal for the sake of my students.
I remember rushing to Columbia International University, my alma mater, when my work day was over, looking for my boyfriend (now my husband) and friends, where I could focus on listening to the news, and on praying for our country.
I remember crying.
I remember trying to find red, white, and blue ribbon at multiple craft stores and that it was sold out.
I remember spending the weekend with my sister-in-law because my brother had been called up with the Coast Guard.
I remember taking pictures of gas stations on my way to their home and all of the signs saying “God bless America”.
I remember the leadership of President Bush, especially in the moment when he was told what was happening and he didn’t want to scare the school children with whom he was visiting.
I remember the cross in the rubble at Ground Zero.
I remember students at CIU going to NYC to help using plans and funds that had been put together weeks before the attacks happened.
I remember Democrat and Republican legislators standing side by side singing God Bless America.
I remember skies eerily silent with absent airplanes.
I remember planes returning to the skies, and cringing, watching carefully, wondering.
I will #neverforget that day and how it changed our world and the heroes who sacrificed everything for others.
Where were you?
I remember the cross in the rubble at Ground Zero.
I remember students at CIU going to NYC to help using plans and funds that had been put together weeks before the attacks happened.
I remember Democrat and Republican legislators standing side by side singing God Bless America.
I remember skies eerily silent with absent airplanes.
I remember planes returning to the skies, and cringing, watching carefully, wondering.
I will #neverforget that day and how it changed our world and the heroes who sacrificed everything for others.
Where were you?
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