How much does 11 years affect a memory?

It's been more than a decade.

But, like most generations, it was a day that our generation will always remember.

Where we were.

What we felt.

How we found out.

Like JFK

The day your world was rocked...and you felt

helpless

small

scared.

How much do you remember?

I remember how I first found out:

I had left the house early that day.  I was working as a Marketing and Admissions Manager for a Skilled Nursing Facility.  There was a questionable potential admission coming from the hospital, so I got up early to head to the hospital and  talk to the Dr's during rounds, peak in this guy's chart, and give my nurses a heads-up as to what was coming in.  I left the hospital, and stopped at Walgreen's.  I was getting married in 11 days, and I had something to purchase there- what?  I can't remember.  I got back in the car to hear Rick Beckett (a local radio personality) go very somber (unusual for him), and read the AP report.

I got back to the facility, and remember wondering if this would affect my brother and sister-in-law's flight.  They were leaving Germany to fly in for the wedding- "they should actually be in the air at this very minute", I thought.

I headed into my office when one of our patients sat at my door, and just bawled.  She was scared.  She was one of my favorites, so I hugged her- and we said a prayer together.  Then we walked to the TV room to watch the coverage.

Where we saw the second tower get hit- live on TV.

This was no longer an accident.

It was here that I realized my country was under attack.

I felt so helpless.

So small.

So insignificant.

Then news of United flight 93 came in.

More fear.

Someone is targeting my country- attacking it on it's own soil.

Someone who hates America that much.

I just felt evil was upon us.

Dave called me- wondering about my brother and sister-in-law (still no news from them).

My mom called me - just to touch base with one of her kids (the other one was on a plane somewhere).

I called my sister-in-law's mother - she hadn't heard anything from her daughter either.

Our older residents (some of which were veterans of wars) felt a "call to action,", so we went out and purchased whatever patriotic craft/flag things we could find.  It felt like so little.

That night, I was slated to head to "sales camp" which was essentially a fine-tuning sales training for those of us in the medical field.  I was expecting it to be cancelled.  (Knowing that company like I do now, I'm not surprised they still made us go).  So, that night, I headed out to Indiana with 6 other women- shocked and astounded that we had to leave our families and head out to learn how to sell services- that we've already been selling for over a year.  (No, I'm not bitter about that, why do you ask?!?!?)

I'm 11 days away from being married.

My country has just been attacked.

I still haven't heard from my brother.

I'm headed to sales camp.

(One of these things is doing it's own thing...one of these things does not belong....).


We were only allowed to watch the news in 5 minute snippets for the next 48 hours- which I guess was a blessing, cause it would have really taken up much of my heart- if left to my own devices.

I found out that my brother and his wife were stuck on a tarmac in a plane for 8 hours that day.  They were only getting small snippets of information- most of which was one-lined.  "A plane went down in New York City, stay tuned." (a few hours later)  "Two planes went down."  (again, a few hours later) "New York is under attack."  "All flights into the US have been cancelled.  We're heading back to the terminal."

We were almost positive that Dan's leave from the USAF would be cancelled, but his Commanding Officer made sure he was on the first flight into the US - which was only 2 days before our wedding (instead of the 11 we originally planned).

Our wedding was a beautiful day - 11 days later.  A few people opted not to travel, which was completely understandable.  We went to Maine for our honeymoon, and had the worst taxi driver who was talking about Mohammed Atta (we flew into the airport he originally flew out of), and haz-mat suits.

 I'm still glowing from my wedding, and this dude was talking about haz-mat suits?!?!?!

Even 11 years later, it's easy to feel like it was yesterday.

But, we've all grown, and a lot has changed since then.

How scared we all felt.

How helpless.

How small.

Wondering how something so evil could be so successful at hurting so many people.

Eleven years later,

there's still evil out there.

But, I think we're a little more aware of it.

No longer wandering around in our happy little worlds.

Those worlds were rocked that day,

and will never be the same.

9-11-2001

Never forget.