I still remember what I was doing the morning that the USA as we knew was changed. It makes me wonder now was that how everyone felt when Pearl Harbor was attacked? The uncertainty of what will come next? Just the day before we were all certain of our self's of the world around us. Then in a heart beat everything changed forever.
Walking out of my kitchen plate in one hand piled with eggs and toast; glass of juice in my other hand, I made my way to our living room to watch TV while eating breakfast. My husband was at work, our son at school. Turning on Good Morning America as I sat down in my chair I watched as the news broke that an airplane had hit one of the Twin Towers. I can't say I remember who called who first but I was on the phone with my mom not a minute later. At first we like everyone else in the country thought it had been an accident. Then we watched as the second tower was hit, we did not speak as we listened to everything going on somehow knowing our world was changing right before our eyes and would not be the same. I remember the first tower falling to the ground in a pile of metal, dust and debris. Thinking the whole time "Oh my God there are people in that building". Then the second tower fell, and I thought "who would do this horrible thing". I forgot that I was holding the phone with my mother on the other end until she spoke just three words "Oh my God". I knew how she felt I just did not know what to say. We each sat in our living rooms watching holding our phones not speaking for some time trying to come to grips with what we were seeing. When the Pentagon was hit, all I could think was I have to go get our son from school. I called my husband right as he was calling me we both had the same thought, I made sure he was ok, he was making sure I was alright; then I left to go get our son. To this day I don't remember if I ate my breakfast, all I remember are the lives we lost on that day, lives of people I never knew. They were moms, daughters, fathers, sons, aunts, uncles, grandsons, granddaughters, grandfathers, grandmothers, nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters. And though I never knew them they will always be a part of me, always be in my heart and their families will always be in my prayers.
So today I ask that all of us take a minute to hug our family and friends and remember the day our great county lost so many of our family and friends. And when you see a person in the military, a fireman, or a policeman take a minute to say thank you, for they watch our backs on the home front and abroad.
I know what it is like to wonder if your husband will come back home to you, if this time the fire will win; for my husband was a firefighter for fourteen years. It is not easy to let them walk out the door knowing it may be the last time you see their smile, the last time you feel their arms around you, the last time you touch their face as they kiss you. But you know that they are helping people and that helps you get through.
