Where were you?

Burnt into my memory with only a handful of days is September 11th... or more correctly 911. I was at work and someone must have heard about a plane crash in New York and turned on the only TV which was a small 13" in the conference room of our ad agency. We all watched in horror as we discovered it hit the World Trade Center and then as some of us continued to watch, we actually saw the next plane hit. I remember crying at work, unable to stop the steady stream of tears even though I did not know anyone there. Shortly after, we learn of the Pentagon and the plane crash in Pennsylvania.

I worked with my dad and we watched together and as I watched him watch the coverage I felt such awe and admiration for him. He was telling us younger crowd how this will affect our lives for the rest of our lives. He was right. He is a history buff and also had been drafted into the Vietnam War when I was very small. He was a lucky one and got stationed at the Pentagon. As it turns out, his office was not far at all from the area that was hit and he told me that he may have even been affected by the blast if it had happened while he served.

While I had work to do that day, we all were constantly in that room checking on the reports. I did watch it for about 2 hours at the beginning and still remember Matt Lauer and Katie Couric reporting tearfully and the others from the Today Show.

I often think of the people who lost their lives that day and their loved ones that lived. Children who died, parents, friends co-workers, neighbors. I wonder how their lives are now, nine years later. How hero's were made that day. How we all were rudely reminded that the US is very much a hated country by many and how they despise our way of life. How lucky we all are that there are men and women who defend that way of life. I salute the defenders and am thankful to them and the hero's. I thank them for their service. I certainly have a more solemn and serious feeling yet am proud when I hear the national anthem and the pledge of allegiance now. I think we all became patriotic after that faithful day. Do you remember the terrorist threat levels that was always on the Nightly News... red, yellow, orange... and how all the news casts showed Smalltown, USA with all the flags and banners for months after, even years. It does seem the patriotism has waned some. I hope and pray we all won't get that jolt again.

Remember. Never forget.

God Bless America.