I remember being in 10th grade English, Ms. Shinn's class, when our librarian ran into the room telling us to turn on the tv. We saw the other plane hit the 2nd tower. I didn't fully understand at the time what was going on. I knew it was bad. We watched the coverage throughout the day-- when the towers fell, when the Pentagon was hit, and when the plane went down in Pennsylvania. Surreal. That is the best I can describe it. Everything seemed like a dream. America was the safest place I knew, how did this happen?
I honestly thought the world was going to end. I have never seen everyone in such hysterics. I remember there being an hour wait just to get gas because the gas stations were packed. I never knew that this one day would affect me so much years later.
Robert's birthday is on 9/11. He turned 18 that day. And that day, he decided to go into the military. He tried to join right out of high school, but couldn't due to recent knee surgery. So he waited til he was 22. We had been dating for about 9 months and I remember the exact moment he said he was joining the Marine Corps. I cried for hours. The war had been going on for 2 years then, so I somewhat knew what he was going to be doing. (You never fully understand war, I still don't) I knew that I loved him with all of my heart and I would be right there by him no matter what.
We are the lucky ones. Al Qaeda not only took the lives of those on September 11, 2001, but has taken all those killed while trying to find survivors of the attacks and those who have fought in the wars against them. Robert made it home. I know too many that haven't. It's not fair. It's not fair that our innocence was stolen that day.
Here we are 10 years later. Still fresh on our hearts, I believe it always will be.
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