9-11 memories

I was talking with a patient today at work who is about my same age. As he was filling out a check to pay, he realized it was 9-11. We talked about how it was the date for our generation that we could always say what we were doing and what was going on when we heard about it, much as when JFK was assisinated for my parents' generation, and when Pearl Harbor was bombed for the generation before that.

So, I thought I'd share our story...

The morning of 9-11-01 I was sleeping and the rudeness of the phone on my dresser ringing awoke me. Everyone knows I'm a night owl, so calling me at 7:30 am had to mean something pretty serious. It was my niece from San Antonio who worked for an airline there and had gotten off her shift to hear about the goings-on on the radio on the way home. Then she called me.

I turned on the TV in our room and sat in disbelief as my husband and I watched (the phone had awakened him too!)

Then, as the reporters were wondering what might occur next and that President Bush has been whisked off to places unknown, the reporters opined that Norad might be a target along with the AFA. That put me into motion!

I woke up all the kids, who were none too happy, got them dressed and ready to hide in the basement, or go to a shelter or whatever was necessary. My mother had died the previous year and so my dad joined us, since he just lived a short distance away. Hubby had thoughts of gathering in his folks, too, but they weren't budging from their home.

My dad shared that when JFK was murdered, our family was stationed in Japan. They were told to gather all their families and report to base, where we stayed for a few days until they were comfortable knowing that more wasn't to come. He said because the news was delayed and because they were out of country, it added to their feelings of stress and worry. I can imagine that it did.

Dad also shared about how he learned of Pearl Harbor. His mother had died the previous year and they were in church when they heard. They suspended the services and just started to pray for hours between listening to the radio which someone brought into the sanctuary. He remembered that when they finally broke to go home, he felt insecure and frightened. He was greatly encouraged by FDR's address the following day.

I know that 9-11 was a scary day for a lot of folks and for too many a day of incredible sadness. Each and every day that we have not had another attack, I have been grateful to President Bush for his handling of this situation and for taking on the terrorists.

As the rallying cry goes -- NEVER AGAIN! And DON'T FORGET!