Where Were You?

Like many others, I was originally planning to post this today – but I don’t know what this day will bring. I have a lot of thoughts swirling around my head. However, for now I wanted to write about my reflections on the events of 9/11/2001. Part of this is in response to Michele’s request, and part of it is just because I want to remember…

Michele asks, “Where were you when it happened? How did you react? What was the rest of your day spent doing? What is your most vivid memory of that day? Of the days that followed?”

I started off 9/11 just like most people. I got up, got ready for work, headed out the door. The maintenance guy from the apartment was talking to someone as I passed and asked her, “Did you hear they are attacking the Pentagon?” I thought to myself that I must have misunderstood him. My drive to work is only about 5 minutes long, so I didn’t bother to turn on the radio.

I got to the office and went right to the conference room – a client was supposed to be there for a meeting. The room was empty. I started to go to find the boss that was running the meeting, when he came around the corner. I asked, “Was the meeting cancelled?” He said yes, that she didn’t want to leave her office with everything that was going on. “What? Why?” He said, “Oh my God, you haven’t heard?” I followed him back to his office as he told me about the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. There was a TV in his office, and we all stood there and watched. That’s where I was standing when the towers collapsed.

I have read all of the “Left Behind” books. I was convinced that it was the beginning of the end. I’m not sure what I believe about the tribulation and the end times, but I won’t deny that I was scared.

One of my co-workers was from New York. Her brother lives in Manhattan and it was his birthday. She couldn’t get through to him on the phone. She finally got ahold of him and her dad and was assured that everything was ok.

I had two former co-workers that had moved to New York. One was only 18 and already had a wife & a kid. We were all on IM, trying to get in touch with him. His office was far from the WTC, and he was fine too.

Chelsey called me. They were evacuating downtown Houston & she had 15 minutes to leave her building – the tallest in downtown. She wanted to tell me that she loved me. She is truly a special friend.

I spent the rest of the day reading blogs. Post after post. I left every once in awhile to check on CNN, but you can only watch those clips so many times. Back I would go to the blogs. More blogs. I wrote a lot of posts, and most of the links are still active. You can read my posts from 9/11 here and my posts for the full week here. My most vivid memory of that day & the days that followed are the first hand accounts of what I read in blogs. I wrote it all out back then. I couldn’t stand to watch the news, it was all to superficial. I wanted the human aspect of the story, and I could only get that from blogs.

I still remember what a beautiful day it was here in Houston, the sky was such a crisp blue. And when I forced myself to leave the office to go get food, I remember turning on my CD player and hearing Fire and Rain by James Taylor. To this day it makes me cry.

Please remember those who lost their lives that day. It was a war that they didn’t choose to fight, and it was hatred that killed them. Many heros that we will never know, and some that saved others and lived to tell about it themselves, stepped up to the plate. I can only hope to be as strong and brave as they were.

My heart goes out to those whose families were directly touched by the events of that day. I mourn for the innocence lost, for children that should have never seen such a tragedy. I feel sorry for those in other lands who have to live with constant threats of terrorism.

Take a moment to tell the people that you love that you care. Smile a little wider, be a little kinder.

Don’t hate. Seek peace. Find love.