I remember that day all too well. I was living in Kentucky and working at a private bank. The Branch was on the first floor of a hospital. We catered to the doctors and their offices. I was at work and was setting things up for the day. I turned on the radio. Music was on and playing a good song. All of a sudden they interrupted mid song to announce that a plane had just hit the World Trade Center. I was in shock! We turned up the radio and listened to the commentary and speculations. Then another plane hit the second tower. I called my Supervisor who wasn't in yet. She was watching it at home on TV and said she was going to bring her TV in so we could watch what was going on. The news kept trickling in with more and more information. The Towers collapsed and thousands died. The more I heard, the more shocked I became. People would come in to the Branch and just sit and listen to the radio or go over to the TV and watch it in silence. They would then tell their coworkers we had a TV and they would come down to watch, too.
Later that night, friends gathered together at our place to watch things continue to unfold on the news coverage. I had been in near tears all day thinking of all those people in those buildings and on the air planes who woke up that morning not knowing it was their last day to live. It was an emotion filled day.
As the hours, days and weeks past, we learned more and more about what happened, that it was a terrorist attack, and the numbers of the people who had died kept growing. What the terrorists hadn't expected was that we weren't going to shrink in defeat, that American's pride in our country would grow, too. The country became more and more united. United We Stand became the motto heard every where. Flags were flown by every business and every home. They were in car windows and on people's clothing. People were encouraged to pray and to be united. Songs were written. People's hearts were softened. People showed pride in their country and faith in God.
Months and years have past. Slowly the flags came down and people started to forget. Things went back to "normal". People started fighting against prayer and In God We Trust on our money again. We have become less and less united. It saddens me. I just hope that it won't take another 9/11 to bring us together again.
There are few events in my life that stand out as life changing. 9/11 was definitely one of those for me. I will never forget how I felt that day, the images I saw, nor the pride in my country that was increased in the weeks and months that followed. I will also remember how grateful I was that I had faith in God and His plan. Having that knowledge helped me to have peace during that time of chaos and uncertainty.
Later that night, friends gathered together at our place to watch things continue to unfold on the news coverage. I had been in near tears all day thinking of all those people in those buildings and on the air planes who woke up that morning not knowing it was their last day to live. It was an emotion filled day.
As the hours, days and weeks past, we learned more and more about what happened, that it was a terrorist attack, and the numbers of the people who had died kept growing. What the terrorists hadn't expected was that we weren't going to shrink in defeat, that American's pride in our country would grow, too. The country became more and more united. United We Stand became the motto heard every where. Flags were flown by every business and every home. They were in car windows and on people's clothing. People were encouraged to pray and to be united. Songs were written. People's hearts were softened. People showed pride in their country and faith in God.
Months and years have past. Slowly the flags came down and people started to forget. Things went back to "normal". People started fighting against prayer and In God We Trust on our money again. We have become less and less united. It saddens me. I just hope that it won't take another 9/11 to bring us together again.
There are few events in my life that stand out as life changing. 9/11 was definitely one of those for me. I will never forget how I felt that day, the images I saw, nor the pride in my country that was increased in the weeks and months that followed. I will also remember how grateful I was that I had faith in God and His plan. Having that knowledge helped me to have peace during that time of chaos and uncertainty.
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