Remembering 9/11

Today is the fifth anniversary of 9/11. I thought I'd jot down a few words about what that day was like for me.

September 11, 2001 dawned just as today did - it was a beautiful, bright crisp fall day. I had allowed myself to sleep-in that morning as I'd had dental work done the afternoon before, gone to look at a house to purchase and also had the first meeting of the new school year with my homeschool group. I was exhausted and decided not to set the alarm for the next morning. I was awakened at 9:10 with a phone call from my sister, Aletha, that said, "Are you watching TV?!!" I told her that I had slept in. She said, "New York City is under attack. You have to get to Mum now!" I turned on the tv as I yelled to the kids to get ready NOW. Zach was 8 (almost 9) and Chelsea was 5 1/2. We jumped in the car and drove to my mother's house. I quickly explained to the kids what I knew so far and then prayed for my brother's safety. My Dad was at work waiting for my brother to call him there. I was trying to get to Mum before she found out as my brother lived and worked in NYC. Unfortunately, my niece called her and told her before I got there. Mum had CNN on when I arrived through the door. I was barely dressed myself. I think I was carrying my bra. I told her later that I didn't know what scared her more - seeing NYC under attack or seeing me come barrelling through her door looking the way I did!

I was in shock as I saw the towers fall. It seemed surreal somehow. The enormity of the lives lost in the building collapses didn't register fully with me until later. I was on overload. My brother was able to finally get hold of my Dad just before noon to let us know that he was okay and was going to try to head home to Connecticut before the trains were shut down. My cousin Graeme called from Australia, upset, wanting to know if we'd heard from brother. My Dad headed home, after stopping at my house to pick up my purse which I had left laying in the middle of my driveway as I helped get the kids in the car. My friend Becky called asking me to go to her house in Gales Ferry to meet her girls as they got off their bus (due to an early dismissal). She couldn't get there in time and the Base (where the girls' dad was) was locked down. I ended up leaving my kids with my parents and going to Gales Ferry where I sat with my friend's neighbor watching her TV and waiting for the bus. Becky finally called and said that the girls were not coming home early.

Then, I heard from Alex. He was on his submarine. They were locked down and preparing to deploy if they got "the word." They'd already been told that two boats would definitely be going - they just didn't know which two. He called to tell me to pack his sea bag with every pair of underwear and t-shirt that he had. In other words, if they left, they wouldn't be coming home for a long time. I went home and started to do laundry. I fielded phone calls from wives on the submarine wanting to know what was happening. Finally, Alex called to tell me to pick him up outside the Base gate. He had 20 minutes to come home, pick up his seabag and get back to the boat. After I picked him up and returned him to the Base gate, I headed back to my kids and my parents.

My brother finally showed up that night. He was okay, but shaken. He said that it was a surreal experience. He said that the streets were silent as millions of people got out of work early and tried to head home. Everyone was in shock and silent. I know at Rob's office they watched the towers fall on TV. Once the second tower fell, they all left. My friend Nancy, who worked in NYC at the time, said that she watched the towers fall from the doorstep of her office.

In the end, Alex didn't deploy that week. He was pretty much glued to the boat as they still didn't know if they'd be tapped to deploy.

I'm leaving you with one of my mother's favorite poems as well as lyrics from Alan Jackson's song, "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning"

"The Lady"
author unknown

I wonder what she thought,
As she stood there strong and tall.
She couldn't turn away,
She was forced to watch it all.

Did she long to offer comfort
As her country bled,
With her arm forever frozen,
High above her head?

She could not shield her eyes,
She could not hide her face,
She just stared across the water,
Keeping Freedom's place.

The smell of smoke and terror
Somehow reduced her size,
So small within the harbor
But still we recognized

How dignified and beautiful,
On a day so many died.
I wonder what she thought,
I know she must have cried.


"Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?"
Alan Jackson

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Out in the yard with your wife and children
Working on some stage in LA
Did you stand there in shock at the site of
That black smoke rising against that blue sky
Did you shout out in anger
In fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry

Did you weep for the children
Who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below

Did you burst out in pride
For the red white and blue
The heroes who died just doing what they do
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself to what really matters

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Teaching a class full of innocent children
Driving down some cold interstate
Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone
Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her
Did you dust off that bible at home
Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Speak with some stranger on the street
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Go out and buy you a gun
Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watching
And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns
Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger
Stand in line and give your own blood
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

The greatest is love
The greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day?