Archive: Remebering 911

Every generation has a defining moment that they will never forget. The rest of their lives they will be able to recall where they where when everything changed. I think the defining moment for my generation was 9-11. It forever changed my life even though it happened over 1600 miles away.
I remember that day starting out grey and dreary and something didn't feel quite right. I thought that it was just because I was have one of my student teaching observations that day. I was always weird and nervous when the university supervisor was there. However, looking back on this day I have a feeling it was something different. I remember having this sadness in my sole that I could not shake. This sadness just wouldn't leave me and it keep urging me to pray. I remember thinking to myself, "Lord I don't know what's going on, why I feel this way but whatever happens-I trust you." Little did I know how much my faith would be trusted-along with everyone else.
So I drove to the school. I was student teaching on Fort Hood in Kileen,Tx. Even on the way to school I could not shake that feel-but I kept saying "God I trust you!" Well I get to school and every thing is going great despite the way I felt. It was my tern to teach the reading lesson. My teacher leaves the room as I am teaching. No biggie I though-she might have gone to the restroom or something. Nothing to worry about right? Well She comes back white as a ghost. I wanted to ask her if she was okay but I was in the middle of the lesson. Next, I heard the sound that I will never forget. ((((((((((ANNNNN)))),(((((ANNNN))))). I asked the teacher what that was. Then she told me that Fort Hood was on lock down! Oh my goodness! She told me and the students not to worry about anything and to just keep on doing what we had been doing. Yeah right. We all tried but we were definitely on edge after that. Well, after I had finished my lesson the university supervisor pulls me off to the side and says that the World Trade Center had been attacked and collapsed. I was speechless! Then she said that since Fort Hood is the largest military base in the world that we were on lock down as a precaution. Then she stressed not to let the kids know. Well, second graders are not idiots and kept asking what was going on and we couldn't tell them. Finally it's lunch time. The principals are talking to the kids and all the teachers are huddled around the tv in the lounge. I will never forget the first time I saw the planes hitting the tower and the Trade Center collapsing. Well, the rest of the day passed in a burr. I remember driving home thinking-God how could you let this happen? No sooner than I said it than my prayer from earlier popped in my mind "Lord I don't know what's going on, why I feel this way but whatever happens-I trust you."
It's been eight years since that fatefully day. I don't know if American society has improved or worsen since then but I do know for a fact that this country will never be the same. We must never forget the men and women who lost their lives that day. Thank the military for keeping us safe! America forever!
4-planes
19-hijackers
2-110 story towers
1-pentagon
1-farm field in Pennsylvania

246-deaths on the planes
2603-deaths in the World Trade Center
125-Deaths at the Pentagon

17,400-people were in the World Trade Center at the time of the attack

1366-deaths came on floors above the impact

200-jumped to their deaths

411-emergency workers died at the scene