My 9/11
I feel like it needs to be recorded what I was doing on September 11, 2001 when the World Trade Center fell. I don't really talk about it, but these kinds of experiences should be on record somewhere, right?
I was in an Institute class (I don't remember which one--I didn't like the teacher or the other class members, so I stopped going) and one of the students came in late. His face was glowing and he seemed excited --not devastated--to share the news that the plane had hit the first tower. None of us understood the scope of what it meant or what had really happened. Class finished and I started walking from the institute (in Logan), through the TSC and stopped at a t.v. screen with a crowd of other people, watching the attack. By now the other tower had been hit. I was transfixed to the screen and didn't feel anything except profound shock. I called Brian and told him to turn on the t.v. We weren't big t.v. watchers at this time, so I didn't think he'd have it on. He said he had a feeling something was going on, so he turned it on. I said something about the towers being bombed (obviously I didn't understand the plane thing...that wasn't very clear). He said no, two planes crashed into the buildings. My first thought was that the pilots must have made a terrible mistake, flying planes into buildings like that. I didn't catch on that it was a terrorist attack until later in the day. I went to Aural Skills with Brooke Reynolds, my teacher. Someone in the class had a radio with headphones and kept us informed periodically throughout the class. I went to my other classes and did my practice hours --because when you're a piano major, practice hours don't stop for anything.
I spent the afternoon glued to the t.v. I watched the media replay the event, complete with people jumping out of the windows of the towers. That was what shocked me the most. Not just that it was happening, but that the media was showing it on live television. There were ambulances lined up and paramedics and nurses waiting to help the injured, but they weren't needed. Too many casualties. Instead, local shops were turned into temporary morgues. In the coming months and years, the media would stopped showing this real, uncensored footage. It was too much for us to watch.
I wish I could say I am more patriotic now, more grateful for my freedom and all that. I feel a profound sadness for those who died that day, and for those who are still battling injuring and illnesses because of that day. Besides that, I am mostly confused. Are we really a stronger nation? Did we rebuild and learn important lessons? I don't know.
There is one lesson I know I took away from this whole thing, which is that we are not immune from tragedy or trial. We can't always prevent things from happening, but we can choose how to handle it.
I was in an Institute class (I don't remember which one--I didn't like the teacher or the other class members, so I stopped going) and one of the students came in late. His face was glowing and he seemed excited --not devastated--to share the news that the plane had hit the first tower. None of us understood the scope of what it meant or what had really happened. Class finished and I started walking from the institute (in Logan), through the TSC and stopped at a t.v. screen with a crowd of other people, watching the attack. By now the other tower had been hit. I was transfixed to the screen and didn't feel anything except profound shock. I called Brian and told him to turn on the t.v. We weren't big t.v. watchers at this time, so I didn't think he'd have it on. He said he had a feeling something was going on, so he turned it on. I said something about the towers being bombed (obviously I didn't understand the plane thing...that wasn't very clear). He said no, two planes crashed into the buildings. My first thought was that the pilots must have made a terrible mistake, flying planes into buildings like that. I didn't catch on that it was a terrorist attack until later in the day. I went to Aural Skills with Brooke Reynolds, my teacher. Someone in the class had a radio with headphones and kept us informed periodically throughout the class. I went to my other classes and did my practice hours --because when you're a piano major, practice hours don't stop for anything.
I spent the afternoon glued to the t.v. I watched the media replay the event, complete with people jumping out of the windows of the towers. That was what shocked me the most. Not just that it was happening, but that the media was showing it on live television. There were ambulances lined up and paramedics and nurses waiting to help the injured, but they weren't needed. Too many casualties. Instead, local shops were turned into temporary morgues. In the coming months and years, the media would stopped showing this real, uncensored footage. It was too much for us to watch.
I wish I could say I am more patriotic now, more grateful for my freedom and all that. I feel a profound sadness for those who died that day, and for those who are still battling injuring and illnesses because of that day. Besides that, I am mostly confused. Are we really a stronger nation? Did we rebuild and learn important lessons? I don't know.
There is one lesson I know I took away from this whole thing, which is that we are not immune from tragedy or trial. We can't always prevent things from happening, but we can choose how to handle it.
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