On September 11, 2001, I was on active duty in the Air Force at Lackland AFB in San Antonio. I was an instructor, responsible for 24 other people, mostly teenagers. I was in a training kitchen with 6 other classes, plus 20 other instructors.
My sister was watching the Today show and called to tell me something was going on. Her husband was deployed to Korea at the time. We turned on a TV to see what was going on. We watched in fascinated horror as the planes hit over and over again in the footage.
I am not a person who watches anything remotely violent. No TV, no movies, no video games where characters are shot or things explode. So I was completely and utterly unprepared for the violence of the fireballs and towers falling. It literally made me sick to my stomach seeing the towers fall. Nine years later, I still get nauseated when I see images of the destruction.
I couldn't believe that anyone could be so cruel, so evil to murder civilians. Even in my late 20's, I still believed in the goodness of humanity. That despite having lost a student in the Cole bombing the year before.
I knew, as everyone did, that the world forever changed on that day. My job in the Air Force took a different turn and took on a different significance. My students changed from kids looking to pay for school to kids eager to serve their country after these terrible attacks.
I didn't lose anyone I knew in the attacks. But I lost nearly 3000 people who could have been friends. They were fellow citizens, fellow humans, dog lovers, cat lovers, parents, children, sisters, brothers. They weren't murdered because of their religion, their eye color, their job. They were in murdered because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. So easily could have been any of us.
We should never forget what happened, the significance of sacrifices made by first responders. But we will. It's human nature. And I refuse to try to remember the agony of that day because it's simply too painful. But I will remember that September 11 is day to pause, reflect on sacrifice and true patriotism and show compassion to others.
On September 11, 2001, I was on active duty in the Air Force at Lackland AFB in San Antonio. I was an instructor, responsible for 24 other people, mostly teenagers. I was in a training kitchen with 6 other classes, plus 20 other instructors.
ReplyDeleteMy sister was watching the Today show and called to tell me something was going on. Her husband was deployed to Korea at the time. We turned on a TV to see what was going on. We watched in fascinated horror as the planes hit over and over again in the footage.
I am not a person who watches anything remotely violent. No TV, no movies, no video games where characters are shot or things explode. So I was completely and utterly unprepared for the violence of the fireballs and towers falling. It literally made me sick to my stomach seeing the towers fall. Nine years later, I still get nauseated when I see images of the destruction.
I couldn't believe that anyone could be so cruel, so evil to murder civilians. Even in my late 20's, I still believed in the goodness of humanity. That despite having lost a student in the Cole bombing the year before.
I knew, as everyone did, that the world forever changed on that day. My job in the Air Force took a different turn and took on a different significance. My students changed from kids looking to pay for school to kids eager to serve their country after these terrible attacks.
I didn't lose anyone I knew in the attacks. But I lost nearly 3000 people who could have been friends. They were fellow citizens, fellow humans, dog lovers, cat lovers, parents, children, sisters, brothers. They weren't murdered because of their religion, their eye color, their job. They were in murdered because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. So easily could have been any of us.
We should never forget what happened, the significance of sacrifices made by first responders. But we will. It's human nature. And I refuse to try to remember the agony of that day because it's simply too painful. But I will remember that September 11 is day to pause, reflect on sacrifice and true patriotism and show compassion to others.
Allyzabethe, the mom
Thank you for remembering the day and sharing your experiences. It is a day I will never forget.
ReplyDelete