Today is a day to stop to reflect, remember and count your blessings.
Where was I seven years ago? I was so caught up in planning my wedding, the typical bride-to-be, oblivious to everything and everyone around them. I was upset because just a few days earlier my brother had to have a quadruple bypass. It meant he wouldn’t be recovered in time for my wedding which meant I had no one to “give me away” and my flower girl wouldn’t make it to the wedding either. I wasn’t planning a big wedding but with my brother, sister-in-law and their four children, my guest list just dropped in half.
Where was Ken? He had been in court that morning over a speeding ticket. He was caught driving over 100 miles per hour taking his Mom to the hospital because his grandma was dying a few months earlier. Typically going over 100 in the UK gets you banned but his court appearance was to get an exception which was granted with limitations.
We typically talked on the phone during my first break at work, around 8:30 am (I started at 5:30 or 6am) and we talked for about a half hour. I hung up the phone and went back into the office and one of the women said a small plane had hit the world trade center. I continued back to my desk and a few minutes later I heard more talking and more confusion. I called Ken and asked him to go into the loft and turn on the satellite that picked up American Fox News and see if they were reporting on what happened in New York. How naïve those words sound now.
Ken was scheduled to work the afternoon shift. He never did make it to work that night. We spent most of that day on the phone while I worked. I had deadlines and I had to stay at the office but I refused to hang up my phone. He would tell me what he saw and I’d relay it to everyone else. I drove home talking to him the whole way, we sat and watched Fox News together all night long on the phone.
On a personal level 2001 was a sad year for many reasons, Ken lost his beloved Grandmother who raised him, those of you who remember my post from October 10th of last year remember why it was so sad for me and of course the events of today seven years ago that changed our world.
I look at October 11th as my new beginning. A day for fresh starts. I think when I sat down to calculate out my current 12 week self challenge, when I saw that the last day of the 12 weeks fell on October 11th, I knew it was a good omen. I knew it meant that this was a transition into a new beginning for me. I feel it. I feel it with every fiber of my being. Yes I struggle and I’ll always struggle and every day is a challenge. However on days like today, we can count those blessings and know that we have life for now, that life is so brief and fleeting. We count those blessings and we remember that we need to make the most of every breath we have left and to make it count.
Please share your reflections and stories in the comments if you wish.
Please share your reflections and stories in the comments if you wish.
Great post. I think everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing that day. I was home sick. I got up, turned on CNN and thought I was on a movie network instead. I couldn't believe my eyes, it was surreal as the second plane flew into the other tower. I can replay it in my mind as I type. After several hours of news coverage, my mind would tell me you have watch enough, turn it off but I couldn't. Knowing that my country would never be the same. Thanks for remembering and sharing this post.
ReplyDeleteBoy do I remember that day. I was at work, we lived in upstate NY. I went home and watched the news and remember watching the woman reporter that was out on the street with families that were posting pictures of their loved ones and the reporter was crying too. Heartbreaking!
ReplyDeleteahhh i remember that day well.. I was on my way to work and Steve called me and told me to watch the news when I get to the office.. I got into the parking lot and he called me from his office. (his office was upstairs from mine at the time) he told me what was going on.. I called my dad who was on his way to atlanta ( his business was there) He asked me if I wanted him to go back home and I told him yes.. it was a good idea.. I walked into the office and my boss had everyone in the confrence room and had the tvs on.. we watched in silence .. he said if anyone wanted to go home that they could .. no problem.... I stayed at work and they closed early.. I went over to my folks house and then over to Steve apt. it was a heartbreaking time ..
ReplyDeleteI was 9 month pg with our son and scheduled for induction the next day. Hubby was coming home from a 24 hr guard shift (army) and we were going to take a nap together...I was pg....I could sleep anytime back then. We were so worried about what it would mean to our family since he was in the army. Prayers for those who lost so much.......count your blessings today and hug your loved ones.
ReplyDeleteI was on the internet ... catching up at my favourite weight loss site .... http://www.slimmingforlife.com.au/
ReplyDeleteA message came through from the owner to say something awful was happening in USA. I tuned to our TV News and like so many all around the world watched in horror, a mixture of grief, shock and anger. I could not leave the TV. It was most certainly The Day That Changed The World. And yet we have all picked up the pieces and got on with our lives in the best way we can.
We continue to grieve for those lives lost, their families & friends ..... and remember our heroes, many of whom suffer terrible after effects.
When one hurts we all hurt.
We were supposed to be in NYC that weekend for my nephew's wedding that Sunday. We couldn't go because hubby was starting his first cancer treatment that Monday. Lots of family was still in the city so we were nervous when we heard. The newleyweds were actually in the air on their way to Hawaii for their honeymoon (they stayed till Tuesday to be with family that had stayed on to sight see.) Their flight was grounded in Kansas. My sister-in-law & her husband were at the airport in Newark when all flights were grounded. They could see the smoke from the towers and said it was pretty chaotic. They rented a car real fast (didn't even wait for their luggage to be unchecked) and drove to thier cottage in the Adirondacks.
ReplyDeleteIt's still unbelievable that those terrorists could actually think they were acting for God! I'm sure they aren't where they thought they'd end up...
I just watched the "102 Minutes" show on the History channel. If you're in the US and get this channel on cable, it's quite the powerful show. I'm sure they'll rebroadcast it.
ReplyDeleteIt was 100% footage from video cameras. No narrative. No graphics. No fancy editing. Just plain, ordinary footage, reassembled from hundreds of cameras into chronological order.
Amazing...
Thanks for sharing- your honesty and openness is so much appreciated.
ReplyDeletesigh. Here goes...my (now) husband and I were living in CT and Manhattan at the time. We both worked in CT, so we usually spent weekends in the city and week nights in CT. My hubby had had a meeting in the City on Monday night, so he'd stayed there. I was at the office when someone from the back office said he was on the phone with a bond trader in the WTC and that all hell was breaking loose. Then the second plane hit, we were watching it live on TV, only 35 miles away. Then the Pentagon. It really seemed like Armageddon. I called to check on my future husband, he'd left Manhattan just an hour before the first plane hit. My boss was stuck at LaGuardia and had to walk back to Connecticut. That evening we went out to dinner, and could barely talk. It was just nauseating.
ReplyDeleteThursday we went into town. The smell is something I'll never forget. Our apartment was on the 52nd floor, in mid-town, looking south...the view was amazing...but we could see it all. Ground zero smoked for weeks.
I too remember like it was yesterday. I was standing in front of the mirror curling my hair getting ready for work. I had the radio on and they said that there had been reports of a plane crashing into one of the towers. I was so stunned. I called to my mom and turned on the tv. I was sitting on the corner of my bed in front of the tv with the radio on in the background. I watched live on tv the second plane hitting the tower with the news cast trying to figure out what they had just seen. I heard the radio host say through tears that a second plane had just hit the other tower. I felt so helpless watching everyone trying to find their loved ones. I watched the coverage for days.
ReplyDeleteI woke up to my radio/alarm saying that something terrible happened - for a few minutes I thought the newscasters were out of their minds...sadly, I was the one who was mistaken.
ReplyDeletei was driving to work listening to a radio show where the dj was on the phone with a policto in nyc (i am in toronto canada)..all of a sudden is started screaming and the phone went dead..
ReplyDeletethe rest, is history.
we have friends, who are a married couple who live in NYC and one worked in the WTC. We had visited them for dinner the week before. It took 3 weeks for them to open the border back up, and we were in line waiting ..went straight to their home and hugged them tight. He happened to be in a building across the street at the time.
I love this post, not just for remembering where we were, but what we felt that day, and for the weeks to follow.
I can only hope each year brings a little of that back to everyone. To remember how it was to smile at your neighbour, call your mom more, and not sweat the small stuff as much.
xo
I distinctly remember what I was doing that day. I was working that day and at the time I was a Pre-K teacher for a private school. I was in class when my boss (the principal) came and let each teacher know what was happening :(
ReplyDeleteWe were told to take our students to the "gym" because parent's were coming to pick up the children due to them closing downtown Houston (I found out later that they were worried that something similar was going to happen in downtown Houston because we are the 4th largest city). Because we were with the children the teachers really couldn't say much because we didn't want to panic them. Parents came and picked up thier children and then all the teachers were told we could go home.
I got home and I just could not believe the news coverage I was watching. It was sad and I sat there crying! I was sad but angry too! I will NEVER forget!!
My husband and I had just flown back to London from our holiday in Thailand. He was having a nap, while I decided to relax in front of the TV. No sooner had I turned it on than the first plane hit. I ran up to wake him up, and we then watched together. I remember thinking it was just a terrible accident until the second plane hit, and then we realised it was all planned.
ReplyDeleteEarlier that year, we'd visited the World Trade Centre for the first time. It was horrifying to think of it all being destroyed, and to wonder the fate of the people we'd met there.
i live in australia so i woke up to the horror the next morning
ReplyDeletei sat and cried holding my little ones wondering what the hell was going on
and asking myself why??
i oculd never imagine what the families ,friends even america was going through but my heart was there that day with you all
XXXX
Your ending to this is so powerful, especially after leading up to it with what that fateful day was like for you. That life is so brief and fleeting - a strong reminder to each of us that we should embrace each day we have. Cherish each moment. And love with all our heart. Thanks for keeping the memory of this day alive...
ReplyDeleteIt was about 3pm in Cape Town when the first plane hit. My mom phoned me and said that a small plane had flown into the WTC in NY. I was working in a hotel at the time, so slipped into one of the empty rooms to see if there was anything on CNN. I saw the second plane hit and then the collapse of the buildings. I had a class that evening, but instead I drove to my parents' home. I'll never forget my dad's face when he opened the door... I barely slept that night - I just couldn't tear myself away from the tv... I still can't get the images of people jumping from the burning buildings out of my mind...
ReplyDelete