Bottom Of The Barrel

September 11th - 5 years later

5 years have passed since the terrorist attacks on the US and I would like to share some of my personal thoughts and experiences related to 9/11.

8:46 am: A Moment of Silence.

The morning of September 11, I was at work like many Americans and then suddenly there was confusion and chaos regarding a plane crash in New York City. The internet was almost unusable as many people try to find out what was going on. 17 minutes after the first plane hit, a second hit Tower 2 - broadcast on live tv. Then there were reports of a 3rd plane hitting Washington DC. I went home and watched and listened and was angry and sad and could not process the unimaginable events of that day. As I look back on it now, I sit in awe of the police, firefighters, emts, port authority officers and other public servants how rushed into the twin towers while many of us [like myself] sought refuge in the comfort of our own homes. Since I was a volunteer firefighter for 5 years, the 343 firemen lost on 9/11 will always hold a special place in my heart.

9:02 am: A Moment of Silence.

On September 14, Lisa and I reluctantly went to a concert at the Tweeter Center in Mansfield, MA. I personally did not want to have fun or cut loose with all that had happened 3 days before hand but we went anyway. This was the first concert to be performed locally after 9/11 and it could not feature a more American singer/songwriter than John Mellencamp. Through out the show there were many American flags flying in the crowd and a general feeling of unity as we all tried to heal just a little bit that night. The highlight of the show was the song Little Pink Houses. The people in the front row were holding a 50 foot long banner of the American flag and while the band played this classic song about small town America the crowd joined in on the chorus with John signing:

Oh but ain’t that America for you and me
Ain’t that America we’re something to see baby
Ain’t that America, home of the free
Little pink houses for you and me

10:04 am: A Moment of Silence.

March of 2005, my wife surprised me with a snowmobiling trip in Vermont. On the Sunday morning that we were heading home we had breakfast with 1 of the couples we went with and a nice couple from New York, also staying at the bed and breakfast. When we learned they were from NY, naturally we asked about 9/11 and where they were. The young man was exiting the subway when the first plane hit and he recounted his own experience. His girlfriend excused herself from the table and we found out later that she had lost a brother-in-law [a fireman] in the towers. What was even more mesmerizing is a story he told of a women from his neighborhood. Here is what we were told over breakfast:

The woman received a call from her son on the morning of 9/11 to tell her he was in the twin towers and that he was alright but didn't want her to worry and that he was going to leave. He called her back minutes later to tell her that in fact he could not escape the building. Having reverted to a child-like state he asked his mother what to do because he was scared and didn't know what to do. His mother, with extreme faith, told her son to not let those evil men get him and that he should instead jump into god's arms than die inside the building. The son told his mother that he loved her and leapt from the building. Several days later the women was asked how she was doing with regards to the loss of her son and she stated that she had recently had a dream and her son had told her that he was ok and he was in heaven and he loved her very much. The woman felt great relief and was happy that she had given her son over to god on her own faith.

The power and raw emotion could be felt all over again 3 and a half years later as 3 couples sat at a breakfast table in Vermont crying over this beautiful story of the single worst day in a mothers life.

10:28 am: A Moment of Silence.

This morning I was listening to WAAF, who are discussing 9/11 and remembering the hero's of ground zero. Just after the 8:46 am moment of silence, they played Lee Greenwood's Proud To Be An American which since 9/11 has become the modern American anthem. The chorus always gets me chocked up and could not be more symbolic of the hero's we remember today:

And I’m proud to be an American
where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I’d gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land
God bless the U.S.A.

I give a big thank you to "The Only Station That Really Rocks" for playing this song today and reminding us all of how great our country is and that most of all, we must never forget.

posted by TheWino @ 8:52 AM