That morning, as usual I had walked my second grader and my 6th grader to the corner where they crossed to walk to school. My daughter's friend's mother and I decided to walk around the block. We kept revelling in the beauty of the day. The sky was a deep autumn blue. THe air was clear and crisp. It was stunningly a beautiful day. We ended up after the walk at my house to drink some coffee.
We were talking about something and my husband called. He said, are you watching Today?
I said no, been out on a walk. He said a plane has flown into the World Trade Center. And I think the second had just hit when he called me.
We turned on the TV. It was mayhem.
In the jumble of the morning it all seemed so inconceivable. But we knew it was a terror attack. I know that some of us didn't want to jump and point fingers. We remembered Oklahoma City. But, having lived overseas in the midst of the Dar es Salaam and Nairobi that the unthinkable was possible. And we knew the name that was behind it.
Soon there was report of a smoking trail near the Pentagon, perhaps an explosion.
I remember watching the tv and seeing before the people commenting as we all watched, that Tower 1 had fallen. There was a shimmering as the dust gathered and blue sky was behind the smoke and dust. I gasped. It's gone, it fell.
So much has happened in the ten years since.
My thoughts and prayers with all those who lost loved ones on this day, for all who helped in the searches, for all those who serve their country in the wake of this event.
We all choose ways to remember and serve.
We will never forget.Never forgotten.
Forever grateful... for our freedoms, liberty and lives.
