Dave and I just finished watching a show on the History Channel about September 11. Every year, when the anniversary of that day rolls around, we watch one of the many specials being shown on tv. Every year I'm still as horrified as I was on the day that it happened.
I was at home that morning with a 4 year old and a 6 year old when the phone rang. It was Dave asking if I had seen the news - a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. I immediately thought, "Whoa, some airline is in BIG trouble!" I turned the tv channel away from Barney or Sesame Street in time to see the second plane come crashing through the other building. I sat there and watched the news unfold on the Today Show. They had people, just regular people, who were close to the scene who had called in and these people were telling what they had seen and what had happened. I remember one lady, I can't remember if she was on the phone or on camera at the time, talking and all of a sudden saying, "What is that noise? What's that sound?" I'm yelling from my PA living room, "The building's collapsing you idiot! Run!" And then, the giant cloud of gray ash that just kept growing and spreading outward.
I can't even imagine how terrified those people must have been - the ones on the street and the ones in the buildings. I can't imagine having to make the choice that I saw some people make - burn or jump? I can't imagine the bravery and guts it took those firemen to go near those buildings - the ones who went up the stairs when everyone else was running down - hoping that they could help get people out of the buildings alive.
A few weeks later we had gone out to dinner and as we were paying at the cash register my sweet little blond-headed 4 year old saw a picture of the burning buildings on a jar they had there collecting money. He pointed at the picture and looked up at me and said, "Look, Mommy. We saw that movie.........."
3 comments:
Yeah, we all wish it was just a movie. Leslie and I watched the History channel last night also. For two hours we just sat there watching this show in silence. I'm still shocked every time I see the buildings fall. What a horrific day! It is important to keep remembering this day.
Yeah, we do have to keep remembering. It's still stunning even today. To think my little 1st graders have no idea. And I'm glad. I didn't want to relive it with the kids yesterday.
I remember also that almost the only channel that didn't show anything about 9/11 was the food network. They honored it, but didn't dwell on it at the time. Their explanation is that people need to have a reason to forget, even for a minute or two, the horror of the day.
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