I awoke to my alarm clock reminding me it was no longer summer and that I had to get going to school where my new class would greet me. Sleepily, I reached for the TV remote and flicked on the news. At first, I thought I had the wrong channel and that a movie was on. But after changing channels, ending up at CNN, I immediately realized that what was happening was real!
Not bothering to shower, I quickly dressed with one eye on the TV, when suddenly the second plane hit the tower! All I could think was that World War 3 had begun!Thankfully, my school was close to my home and I was there early just like all the other staff. The principal quickly set up one of the televisions in the library where we all gathered around, many of us in tears. We had to decide how to talk about what was happening to the children without scaring them to death.
My older daughter phoned me in panic, wondering whether she should go to work. At that time, she worked in one of the towers in downtown Vancouver and there were concerns that some unidentified aircraft were approaching the city. Later that morning, the building was temporarily evacuated, but it turned out to be nothing.
This horrific attack on the World Trade Center affected not only those innocent people involved - injured, killed, survivors and all types of aide workers - but also people around the free world. We here in Vancouver worried about being so close to Seattle where the Boeing airplanes are built and being directly south of Alaska. No one was safe during that time and hearts were pounding in horror everywhere.
I pray that all types of terror and war will one day end, and we will be able to live in peace with zero worries in this respect.
Is it possible?
21 comments:
I don't think any of us will ever forget that day! Great post and reminder to never forget those who died that day and never stop working in whatever way we can to insure it doesn't happen again. Also insure that we aren't drawn into thinking that violence of any kind is the answer to the world's problems. Have a lovely week, Leslie!
Sylvia
A silent bow in respect of this entry.
daily athens
We thought it was the beginning of WW III too! I was supposed to go to New York in December of that year and couldn't bring myself to go.
There is just nothing within me that can understand that kind of action by any group of people.
I don't know if the world can ever live in peace. Sad.
I don't know either if the world can ever live in peace, but we have to hope and pray that we can.
Your post has reminded me again that security at airports (much as we all hate it) has become a necessary inconvenience.
Great post.
Hope all is well in your world, Leslie.
Boy, you sure made memories come tumbling back to me.
My hubby and I were working in NYC just the week before the 911 happened. Many of the people we worked with in the Trade Show business were NYC Firemen. We didn't know for weeks if they were dead or alive. One of our friends was quoted in People magazine, and I found out he had lived. All of our friends survived but with mental and physical issues still today. Eyesight and lung capacity were compromised in the dust fragments that rained down on them. Sometime I will tell you Fireman Louie's amazing story. He should not have made it out of the tower.
Whew, I really can't think about it anymore. We will never forget.
It is a day I will never forget. My sweet baby was only 9 months old when it happened. I remember being so scared that the world was coming to an end.
Thank you for this reminder.
Thank you for posting this. It is good to know that others in another country are not forgetting this horrific moment in history. We should never forget. Your post is a reminder as Wil's (Reader Wil) is about remembering to think about events like this. And, that freedom is not free.
A very sad day, indeed. One that will never be forgoten.
i've written about this at some point, probably on sept 11 of a year. etched in my brain 4ever.
ROG, ABC Wednesday team
I so agree with you Leslie. Oh that we can somehow have peace.
I am sure everyone remembers what and where they were that morning. I had been teaching and we did not find out until almost 10:30 when parents began coming to the school to get their children. None of us could believe it.
May peace be not just a word!
Thanks Leslie for a solemn, mindful post.
take care.
Leslie, A powerful and important reminder. I remember visiting Ground Zero in 2003. I will never ever forget that day or the fateful on in 2001.
A well written reminder of that infamous day. It boggles my mind that peace is so difficult. What is the human gene that creates death and destruction?
Some things are beyond our understanding, - the hatred behind these attacks is incomprehensible to anyone not touched by fanaticism.
I won't forget that day either. Your post makes us realize that we are all vulnerable and that life is precious today. I hate revenge and the wars after 9-11.you saw my post about the bombardment of Rotterdam, which caused the death of thousands of innocent people. You can compare that to 9-11. It happened out of the blue.
I too was teaching at the time Leslie and was at the swimming baths with my class of 10 year olds. As we were in the reception of the building waiting for the rest of the class to get dressed some of us were watching the TV. When the planes hit the towers one of my pupild asked "What's going on miss?" I replied "I don't know Lucy but it will affect our lives from now on!" How true!
Thanks so much leslie for contributing throughout ABC Wednesday. You have been through a rough time and I am touched you found the time and dilligence to keep going with the weekly slot! HUGS Denise
ABC Team
For me it was very surreal and didn't really hit home. It was basically too far from us. Since then the threat has become a bit more real, but I still try and do things the way I did them before.
I wish for peace too...we were on a plane that day and heard about it while waiting for our luggage at the airport. It was hard to get a taxi as some flights got cancelled and people needed a ride back from the airport. Then I remember getting home, turning cnn on and being glued to the tv set for days...I remember Enya's music too. Very sad.
ABC-W:Z
What a sobering reminder of the age. I'm afraid this side of heaven, we will have to worry about events like this every day. Hopefully no one will every forget this.
Amen to peace, Leslie. We all bear scars of that day, some far, far deeper than others, but everyone was affected and damaged in part. A somber, but great post.
I remember getting ready for work that morning. The video of the first hit was taped, but the second happened live as the cameras were trained on the first tower. What a devastating feeling I had driving to work that day. The days that followed were very unusual as well. Driving through neighbourhoods you would find people clustered together outdoors on street corners with signs of support. - Margy
In one word NO...not going to happen. Iran is our next big threat and I hope the western world is ready for it.
I too remember exactly where I was when the planes hit. My husband had just left the day before for Greece and I was alone. I could not tear myself away from the tv for days. Even though no one I knew was killed or hurt it felt like it. I hope the world never forgets and I truly find it outrageous that they are planning on building a mosque at the site of 9/11...ciao
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