Every time 9/11 approaches I think back to where I was and what I was doing on that horrific day. I remember I just graduated high school and started college. I had a science test that day I hadn’t really studied for. My dad was getting ready to take flight somewhere. I didn’t want to wake up as usual that day and kept pressing the snooze bar. I stretched and yawned and got out of bed slowly, then I heard a heard a scream from the other room and heard turn your TV on. From that moment when I hit the button on the remote the world changed forever.
I fell on my bed ad I was trying to get dressed for school. I couldn’t control it, tears ran down my face. Where was my dad? Did he get on the plane? Why were they doing this? Where were they going to hit next? This was the craziest thing I had seen. How could I got to school? I didn’t get a hold of my dad before I left for school so my brain and heart were going a million miles a minute. I arrived at school, people were crying. I heard that people were already called off to stations in the Army, Military, what have you. No word from families, still no word from my dad. Cell service was crap because so many people were trying to make contact.
Now, test time. I didn’t really study. But now on top of everything else all of this. The whole class thought the test was going to be canceled but of course not. I don’t think I did well on the test but it was the first test. I didn’t really care. As you can see you never know what is going to happen on a daily basis. I rushed out of class and called my dad again. Finally, an answer he didn’t get on the plane. Fhew, dad is ok. When I saw him I was balling. I can’t imagine losing my dad. I felt selfish on a day like this to think this way but I was so happy to be with my family.
From the moment the planes hit the towers the coverage didn’t stop on TV. I’m talking every single channel even MTV. It was unreal to watch. It was a horror movie you can’t stop. This can’t be real! This can’t be real! I watched people fall from the sky, gray smoke fill the air, people run through the streets. There’s no logical answer.
On weekends in Modesto where I grew up we used to go cruising. If you have seen the movie American Graffiti it’s based on my hometown. Basically, we get in our cars and drive slowly up and down the street. We talk to people, pull over and look at cars, whatever. This weekend after 9/11 was something I didn’t expect. People were out with their American flags on top of their cars, lining the streets, cheering, hugging, holding signs. It was the most heart whelming thing. From darkness comes light. I ran home and grabbed my video camera, not knowing I would record over my high school graduation. Anyways, I recorded the cars going by with the flags, the cheers. I wanted to remember this moment. I wanted to remember this spirit, the happiness. I didn’t want to remember the smoke and bodies. This was a community coming together. We went to dinner that weekend and people went to the streets holding candles and praying together. I thought why can’t every day be like this. We need to learn to love each other and come together. We can’t expect others countries to love us if we fight in our own towns and neighborhoods.
We must never forget what happened. We must learn and grow. This is a day that I will never forget for the rest of my life. Hold your loved ones tight. It’s very sad that in each generation we have anniversaries like this. Love and respect one another.
9/11 Never Forget!
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