9/11/01
was one of those days.
For everyone.
So, do you remember where YOU were?
I was working as the marketing/ admissions manager for a health care center.
I went to the hospital at 6:30am to look at a patient's chart and talk to the caregivers.
I stopped at Walgreen's on the way back to the office to pick something up for my honeymoon.
My wedding was 11 days away.
My brother and his wife were flying out of Germany this morning to come in for our wedding.
I got out of Walgreen's and heard on the radio that a plane had just hit the tower.
There was little additional information.
Accidental? On purpose?
I hoped it was the former.
I got back to the office, and we turned on the TV.
Just as another plane hit the second tower.
We were under attack.
News of the Pentagon followed.
Then Flight 93.
The residents of my facility were scared and crying.
I still hadn't heard news about my brother and his wife.
Everything was in slow motion...yet going so fast.
Our wedding was 11 days away.
I was required to go to "sales camp" for my job.
I tried to get out of it.
No such luck.
(If I knew then what I know now, I would have told them to "shove it.")
But, 5 of us went to Angola Indiana.
And talked about selling more...while the death toll raced across the screen in the lobby.
My brother and his wife were on a plane that morning.
They were stuck on a tarmac in Frankfurt for 8 hours.
They heard nothing for 2 hours.
Then they heard that "there was a plane crash in New York."
Then, after 5 hours in the plane, they heard that the "U.S. is under attack."
They went back home after waiting for 8 hours.
Fortunately, his Sargent made sure he was on the first flight into the US, and they made it in for the wedding.
We did get married 11 days later.
It was surreal, and a few people chose not to come.
But those that did....we loved on each other...and we celebrated.
We lifted the veil of fear and chose to celebrate life and love.
So....where were you?
2 comments:
Thanks, Sandy. I was only a little over a week into my freshman year of college, getting ready for class. Similar to you, I heard the news of the first plane hitting and had no idea what was going on, but felt compelled to turn on the tv. We didn't have cable, but a station was coming through- and right after I turned it on, the second tower was hit.
I went to class, but we just watched tv.
I got my haircut later in the day, but all I remember is everyone talking about the attacks and watching tv.
And I remember your wedding 11 days later- it was a beautiful day. :)
It is true - there is something so cathartic about celebrating after such a great loss - we need that to get past the grief and pay tribute to those who were lost. Because love wins.
Post a Comment