Never Forget

When I was growing up, I would often hear adults say, "I remember what I was doing when I heard the news that President Kennedy had been shot." It seemed funny to me that so many people appeared affected by one event. Later, as an adult, I sadly learned why they were so impacted... On September 11, 2001, I was getting ready for work when my husband called out to me from the living room of our California home, "Oh my God, Carrie! Come quick!" Alarmed I rushed into the living room, where he was watching TV. He pointed to the set and said, "You have to see this." I looked and saw what looked like one of the buildings of the World Trade Center on fire, as black smoke billowed from it. I could not comprehend what I was watching and I asked him if he was watching a movie. He replied that no, he was not... that a plane had just crashed into the building. I asked if it had been trying to land and he said he didn't know... it was a very short time later that another plane crashed into the second structure of WTC. Absolutely stunned and in shock, and not knowing what else to do, we both finished getting ready for work and left the house. Later that morning, it was revealed that the United States was under attack and me and my coworkers were sent home... I watched the news the rest of the day. as the horrifying details began to unfold... it is a day I will never forget...