September 11

 

As time goes by I feel like it gets easier to forget how I felt in September 2001. This is what I do remember: I was working in Arizona as a school teacher in a little town called Maricopa. I had started commuting to work with another teacher who lived on the way to school. I picked her up and she asked me to turn on the radio, she had heard there had been a plane crash. By the time we reached school, the announcement had come that a second plane had crashed, confirming the worst of our fears, that the crash was an intentional terrorist act. We were stunned and shocked as we listened in silence.

Once we arrived at school, our principal messaged all the staff to let us know during our breaks we could catch coverage in the lounge. There was no direction in how we should approach the topic with the students. I wanted my students to know what was going on; why we were all so emotional. I tried my best to explain the facts as I understood them. I don't know if this was the right decision. Most didn't really understand and the few that did understand got very scared. So I stopped talking about it with the students.

When I got home my roommates, Rachel and Melissa, and I watched coverage nonstop on the TV. We had a few friends join us as we watched, and cried, and watched. I couldn't stop watching the scenes which wasn't really helping, but I felt like I owed the victims my attention.

There was a real feeling of patriotism, unity and love during the next weeks. I also remember feeling very loyal to President Bush. His words were comforting. This feeling didn't last long, but during those initial weeks I really felt like he was meant to be our president during that trying time.

Anyway, I just wanted to record my memories of that day while I still have them. I don't want to forget.