Always Remember, Never Forget

I was sitting in Human Development at the back on the classroom and we were coloring file folder games. 
I don't remember exactly who told our teacher, but I do remember her turning on the T.V. 
I remember thinking it was some kind of weird joke or prank. There was no way what I was seeing on the screen was actually happening.

It all just seemed so fake! But then they started showing images of the towers falling and the plane that hit the Pentagon and I knew it was reality. I remember that some teachers wouldn't let us watch what was going on, others were glued to the T.V. 

I remember being really worried about my dad for some reason and called him to make sure he was okay. I remember rumors floating around that planes were headed to Utah to bomb Dugway and that freaked me out. I remember that there was nothing else on T.V. for weeks. 

I remember feeling sick for the people that were trapped at the top of the towers and horrified when they showed images of people jumping from the buildings. I remember feeling so bad for everyone that had lost a loved one and even worse for those that were missing.

And I remember that overwhelming sense of patriotism the next day when everyone started putting out and displaying American flags. I remember that stores everywhere were selling out of them! I remember that feeling of unity that brought our country together even though the circumstances were terrible. I remember hearing about the passengers on flight 93 and how they stood up to the terrorists and sacrificed themselves to bring their plane down. I remember being so proud of them even though I didn't know any of them.

I remember looking at the images of the firefighters raising the flag in the middle of rubble and feeling so grateful for them and their service. 

The National Geographic channel has had some really great specials on for the last week and it's been really interesting and sad to watch them. I think it will always be hard to watch the towers fall and see the people running out of Manhattan as fast as they can. They showed footage that I haven't seen before, like the plane hitting the pentagon and pictures of President Bush doing what he could from Air Force One. They've also had some really great interviews with many different people and audio from dispatcher and people making final phone calls. 


I wish I could have seen the tower before they fell, they were such a beautiful part of the New York skyline! One day very soon I hope to see ground zero and the memorial they are building there!! 
I hope we all remember that day and remember that sense of American pride and unity. We need that more that ever!