For This, I Am Grateful That I Can Remember

Today marks the 8 year anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center. It feels like it happened decades ago. We all have our own memories but this is what I remember the most...

I was sleeping when my brother, Tommy, woke me up suddenly. He was calling for me to come downstairs. At that time, Alex and I lived in a town home and Tommy had stayed the night and had crashed on the couch. It was kind of an overcast day, if my memory serves me right.

I remember sitting in shock on the stairs leading down into the living room as I watched the footage of the first plane hit the first Tower. It was around 9 am PST so the action was already in motion by the time we were aware of it on the West Coast. I remember thinking that it was so movie like while both Tommy and I quietly listened to figure out what was going on and what the newscasters were saying.

Then the second plane hit the second Tower and you could hear and feel the shock of the reporters who were absolutely dismayed at what was going on. I wouldn't be surprised, if at first people thought that a plane had lost control by accident and collided with the building. I did, at least. I guess I couldn't believe at that time that someone would purposely plan so much destruction of human life. I was hoping that mechanical error was the true answer and not that Man could be that evil, but when the second plane hit, it became apparent instantly that this was not the case. At this time we didn't know exactly how many (or how few) people were on board each plane or in each Tower. I was immediately moved to tears and sadness by the massive amount of lost lives. So yes, I cried. I wept openly. I wept for those on the plane that lived the last moments of their life in terror. I wept for the people busy at work who were taken by surprise by the high-impact collision that would soon take their lives. I wept for the countless number of families that would never see their loved ones again. I wept for all the boys that I worked with or ever knew because I felt that soon they would be pulled into a war the likes I had never seen. I wept because a tad bit of my innocence was forever gone.

I remember the push for donating blood, although, I didn't understand why. Maybe people need to feel like they could do something, something to make them feel less helpless in an out-of-control situation. Maybe.

I remember that I called my Dad that morning and told him that I felt like packing up my bags and going... somewhere but I knew that I would just be driving to drive and I would have to come back home eventually. I remember calling my Mom but I don't remember the conversation.

I remember the American flag being flown by almost every home.

I remember the silent and empty skies that followed for the next week.

I remember the panic, the speculation, and the genuine fear of not knowing or comprehending what was next. But most of all, I remember that for a short time our nation put aside all its differences, all our problems, all our past hurts, and for a brief moment in time we acted together as a caring community. For this, I am grateful that I can remember.