September 11, 2009

  • A True *Memorial* Day

    Today is AM's birthday. It was her birthday long before the tragic events of 2001 made it infamous. Her reaction on that day was one of absolute horror. She is a sensitive woman; always has been and always will be. She has started her day cheerfully since she was going to have a bunch of her lady friends over for lunch and had prepared for it the day before so her morning would be simple. A friend called her and told her to turn on the news. The rest of the next few days went pretty much the same for her as it did the rest of us.

    I was watching the news that morning since I was home recovering from a broken foot and not at work. I saw the first film footage of the plane that flew into the first tower and was totally shocked. I kept thinking *How in the world did THAT happen? * I just couldn't believe that any pilot of a commercial airline could not see where he was headed no matter what instrument malfunction there might have been. I was sick to my stomach thinking of all the people killed. I called our secretary/dispatcher at the office since I knew she had a small TV there that we kept for emergencies since it also operated on batteries. She was already watching the news since our service guys had already called her about the *accident*. We were watching and talking when the second plane flew into the second tower and I remember shouting, *OMG! It wasn't an accident! It's a terrorist attack!*

    The rest of the day was pretty much a blur of crying off and on for all those people and the families. Even now, as I am recalling my feelings and those of the people around me, I am brought to tears because the pain of that day doesn't go away. It truly was the day that our world changed forever for all Americans. We were bound together forever by two acts of terror and more to come but we didn't know that just yet. By the end of the day, it was almost too much to wrap your mind around. Even the Beast, normally a wise-cracking cynic was strangely moved and not his usual vocal self.

    The next few days were pretty much spent in front of the televisions. I had every television in the house tuned to CNN I think it was. That was so I wouldn't miss a single thing going on when I managed to motivate myself to try to straighten up the house or make some food for us. When I had to go to the store, I listened to radio news. All the stores had news on their musak systems instead of the usual tripe. The department stores had all their televisions on and tuned to the various news networks. Of course, there was no such thing as normal television going on except on cable, perhaps. I don't know. Like all Americans, I was totally involved in needing to *be there* with all those suffering in New York, at the Pentagon and in a little known town of Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

    We cried with the families and were overwhelmed at the tremendous suffering and the tragic deaths of the police, firemen and emergency personnel when the towers collapsed. My heart ached and I didn't sleep for several days more than a catnap here and there. It was the same everywhere and you could see it in people's faces. The first day people were strangely silent. Everyone's faces were full of sorrow and grief. I only left my home and television to pick up necessities.

    Along with the grief came a strange anger and resolve. I have read many blogs, talked to many people and we were all changed and filled with a type of patriotism that we hadn't realized we had for many years. It was this that the terrorists hadn't considered. They expected us to react differently, I believe. But instead we had a surge of anger and a patriotic fervor that we have even now after 8 years. Although our leaders have waffled in THEIR resolves and did not do what we had hoped for, our sons, daughter, nieces, nephew, friends and neighbors are fighting for this country and we support THEM. We pray for them, we thank them with a new salute that they recognize to let them know that we love and honor them. We may even wear red on Fridays to show a silent support that is a ground movement our leaders haven't dictated but the more of us that do it, the stronger the message to those in office.

    I tear up when I hear certain songs that came out of that tragic day. I play them a lot even now and know that no matter how our leaders may fight amongst themselves, waffle in their resolve or misinterpret what we, the people, expect or want from them, this is still a great and wonderful country. No terrorist can change that or make us quake in our shoes. We would also fight and die to preserve this system and that day in 2001 reminded us that it may still need to be done. It's worth fighting for. It's even worth dying for. I don't speak for everyone but there is no place else in this world that I would rather live.

    Have a wonderful day and remember to wear red today. Red for support of our troops. Red for remembrance.