I know there are more eloquent people than myself who have written about their memories of 9/11, but it occurred to me that I may not have written much about what I remember and what I experienced for my posterity to read. In efforts to "never forget" and to "bring to remembrance" this tragedy for my kids and grandkids someday, I'll make my short record.
I remember coming in from marching band at Lone Peak High School (we practiced early in the morning). I was putting my mellophone away and getting ready for whatever first period was... more band I think), and someone told me something about airplanes crashing. I remember at the time thinking, "Oh, that's sad..." But I didn't understand at all what was going on. Unfortunately, our band director didn't understand either and had us continue rehearsing while the rest of the school was watching the news.
I don't remember what we did in most of the other classes, but I do remember going to Latin which was only offered at American Fork High School down the street and Ms. Shelley had us watching the news the entire period. I remember that she was frantic because she had friends or family in Washington D.C. and she was trying to contact them, but couldn't get through. I remember all of us having unbelieving faces and just shock. I don't remember anyone crying, but I honestly think we didn't really internalize it yet.
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| This is what our TV screens looked like at school all day. |
I get confused about the timeline of what I witnessed on live television versus what I saw later as rebroadcasts, but I think we may have seen the towers tumble down during that Latin class. And still, it didn't really sink in for me that so many people had just died.
I remember we were hiking Timpanogos Cave for our Young Women's activity that afternoon. I remember my parents were gone for some reason, so I didn't really have adults to talk to until after the activity. I remember thinking it seemed so odd to not see or hear anything in the air. When my parents got home I remember being in our bathroom just sitting looking in the 3-way mirror they have (I don't know why I was doing that... just taking "reflection" a little too literally, I guess). And when they came home, that's when I burst into tears. I was certain that World War III was going to begin. I didn't have any family members in the military, but I still had an irrational thought that my family would be directly affected by this terrorist attack. It worked... I was afraid.
While watching the aftermath though, I remember being so proud of those who helped, those who sacrificed, and those who would go on to serve their country. I remember feeling like this horrible event, really did draw our nation together. I don't feel like that unity has lasted as long as I thought it would. We seem more divided now than we were before 9/11.
And that is why I think it's important to remember and to never forget. Terror drives us apart. Peace, tolerance, service to others, and empathy... that will bring us together - "One nation, under God."
