Today is the day after September 11 and I can’t help but blog about it tonight. The images of that day, and the horrific stories of those who lost their loved ones in the towers, at the Pentagon, or in that desolate field, are still just as fresh today as they were 11 years ago! There are still two images that are most horrifying to me. The first is the image of people who decided to JUMP from the towers rather than stay inside. The second is that of the brave firefighters who climbed up, up, and up as everyone else was trying to climb down. They had to have known that it was futile- but they climbed anyway. America’s Patriots.
I’m pretty sure that many of YOU reading this were in the same place I was on that day- in school!
I was teaching 1st grade at the time and I escaped to the teacher’s lounge to see for myself on T.V. what everyone was talking about. First, I heard it was just a little plane that had the hit the Twin Towers- and I thought, “What an idiot!” Right? I mean who flies their little plane into a tower?
Then I heard that it was in fact a 747 and the Twin Towers were on fire! I couldn’t believe it! I had to see for myself. I was standing in the lounge- glued to the T.V. and the horrific image of the Tower burning- when I watched a 2nd plane hit the second Tower. And that’s when it became clear. That’s when the newscaster said- “Ladies and Gentleman, America is under attack.”
I could have stayed there all day- and just stared- mouth open- not believing what I was seeing- surely this was a joke- it looked like a movie! Special effects care of Hollywood right? But thank the Lord, I couldn’t stay there- I had to go back and teach. My kids were actually out at morning recess- the only reason I was able to sneak in a few minutes in front of the T.V.
The weight of our world’s problems were heavy on my heart as I walked out onto the playground. It was a gorgeous fall day in Michigan. The sun was shining and kids were running around- yelling- smiling- laughing. I couldn’t help but be shocked by the striking difference between the heaviness of the images on the TV and the lightness of the world on the playground. I wished I could be a kid again- and not have the heaviness of a world- “under attack”. Hard to believe that some of us are teaching students who were not even BORN at that time! I got my first taste of what disaster, and tragedy feels like.
Every year there will be a September 11th and therefore a September 12th to follow- and every year,
I will remember.
