nine eleven

Never have 2 words meant so much to so many people.  Just thinking them brings back that day...

I was doing laundry.  I always turn the TV on to have sound on while folding. 

News. News. News..... wait.  What?

New York.  Airplane.  Fire. 





I actually watched the second plane hit the building.  I remember holding my mouth over my hand, even though the scream that I felt never left my body. 

I also watched as the twins dropped.  I think I fell to the ground with them.  I didn't know what I felt.  Pain.  Fear.  Confusion.    Nothing good, that's for sure. 

New York has always had a dear place in our hearts.  That's where Mike served his  LDS mission (New York /  New Jersey). He has a love for the people there that will never diminish.  I got to fall in love for myself when we got the opportunity to go there together about 8 years after he got home.  The sights.  The smells.  The languages - even English spoken there is a different language!  And we even went to the twin towers and stood on the observation deck.  That's where I stood and listened to probably close to 100 people talking to each other as I walked around, and I don't think I heard any English spoken.  So weird to be on American soil and not hear English.  At all!  And then we went downstairs to the shops.  Of course!  We were tourists!!  We found a tie and suspender set for sale that was absolutely beautiful!  But we didn't buy it.  At least not that day!  I actually had Mike's mission mom - who worked in one of the towers - buy them and send them to me for Mike for Christmas that year.  Best present I ever got him!  That's still one of my favorite ties!  He wears it every 9/11.

As bad as those memories are, and always will be, what I remember most is the emotions over the next few weeks.  At the time I had a paper route.  Don't laugh!  I've tried everything I could to stay home with my kids, and a paper route helped.  But at 4 am there isn't much on the radio but talk and news, especially after a big event like this.  And for all the negativity that could  have been dribbled, there was so much love.  Compassion.  Sincerity.  Patriotism.  Pride.

I remember driving and running through the neighborhood in the dark, but feeling full of light and wanting to bang on every one's door shouting, "Thanks for being my neighbor!"  "Thanks for helping me feel safe."  "I'm proud to be an American!!" 

Thirteen years later.  I haven't been back since 1992.  I want to!  OH.  I so bad want to.  I want to add my tears to those that have been shed in honor of the brave men and women who risked their lives to try to valiantly save complete strangers in a dark, unforgiving mess.  To feel the spirit that I'm sure is there.  How could it not be? 

But since I'm home, I will just raise my flag in honor.  I will think about those people, their families probably all day long.  And I will thank my Heavenly Father for allowing me to live in America at this time of history. 

May we NEVER forget......