I was 31 and 6 months pregnant with my third son on 9/11/01. I was working part time managing an ophthalmology office and selling custom birth announcements. I remember the day very clearly, just like everyone else. Watching the plane fly into the World Trade Center, hearing about the one that hit the Pentagon and the one that crashed in a field, I like everyone else who wasn’t a part of what what happening, was sitting glued to the TV for the rest of the day. And then glued to talk-radio for the next several months. I had several clients who lived in Manhattan, Staten Island, and other places in New York and New Jersey. I called a few of them, my clients. The ones that I knew worked in the area or were police, fire or EMT’s. I remember that one of the women that I spoke with who’s husband was NYPD, she told me that they were all fine, but she had no idea when she would see her husband again. Her voice was a mixture of pride, love, concern and anger. As the events of the day unfolded before us, planes being grounded all over the world, video surveillance from the Pentagon, learning about the heroes who sacrificed their lives to save America from another plane flying into who knows where…seeing and hearing people jump to their death from the World Trade Center…watching the towers fall to the ground and the cloud of rubble, dirt, papers and God knows what cover the area. It was heartbreaking in so many ways. Knowing that so many men, women and children had lost their lives, and that their families may never be able to get complete closure was overwhelming to me. I, like so many people, cried heartbreaking tears that day. And yet, life had to go on for us.
My son was born, I sold the birth announcement business, and went back to the ophthalmology office full-time (as that’s where I felt I belonged). In the days that went by afterwards, it seemed that America was filled with sorrow, with a side of disbelief. How?? was the big question. The disbelief was then replaced with American Pride – something that we all have 100% of the time, but this is different. No one was afraid to show it. There were flags everywhere. It was amazing to see such overwhelming patriotism on non-patriotic holidays. It was like the 4th of July all the time. It really was amazing!
Slowly those flags were taken down, and replaced by yellow ribbons. Support for our military was at an all time high, which is how it should be all the time. I don’t care if you believe in our military or not, but these men and women have volunteered to serve their country and defend us again all the baddies out there. These brave men and women who are in the areas of most conflict are being shot at, bombed or attacked in ways that I can’t even imagine. And I thank them for it. Because of them, I am able to sit in my own home, typing away on this blog entry and express myself candidly while wearing shorts and a t-shirt. There are some areas in the world were I, as a woman, would not be able to do that while wearing what I want to.
But I digress…
While remembering this horrific events that happened 17 years ago today, try to focus on the good things. We, as Americans, as humans, are more good than bad. So many people stepped up to help everyone effected by this tragedy. The First Responders, the Firemen, Policemen, EMT’s, Doctors, Nurses… the People. Remember all the good people who responded. Remember the love, hope and support that we received from the rest of the world. I personal believe that 99% of people are good. They are filled with love and truly care about other people. There will always be bad people in the world, and they will try to manipulate those that they can to have them do bad things for them. I choose to look to the brighter side and I believe in the good in man.