It was a picture perfect day today. This morning around 11 o'clock I was on the upper field during a fire drill. While we were waiting for the principal to excuse us, I noticed an airplane turning towards the direction of the Oakland Airport. You could see the entire side of this jumbo jet as it turned, with the sun glistening off of the side of it. At that moment, I reflected on images and emotions and events of this day, just eight short years ago.
I was a new teacher of about two weeks. That particular morning, a Tuesday, I was heading in to work but I had to stop at the cleaners. I hurried up to the counter where the old, Chinese lady was stationed. She rang up my sale and worked the lever on the thousands of shirts and slacks on their contraption before she found mine. She seemed distracted though, and she was motioning and gesturing to her side for me to look at something. I leaned over the counter and saw on her little TV set a building apparently on fire.
My first thought was that she was watching Independence Day or something and I kind of laughed or something as I gathered my clothes from the rack above the counter. I could tell she wanted to tell me what was happening but I was in a bit of a rush and I didn't have time to figure out what she was saying.
When I got into the car I switched on KCBS and suddenly it hit me what didn't click earlier in the store when I had a glimpse at her TV. A journalist was describing a scene so surreal that to hear it on the radio was simply too hard to comprehend. He was describing the World Trade Center literally falling to the ground. This building is one that I've never seen before but it would tower over ANY in San Francisco. It was like War of the Worlds or something because I just kept thinking, 'No way, no way, no way...' all the rest of the way to school.
In the parking lot that morning, a co-worker of mine was exiting her car and we both sort of had no idea what was going on. I raced to my classroom and quickly watched the news. I switched on my computer and went to Google News to learn that another plane had landed and crashed into the Pentagon. Then came word another plane had crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.
I called home to alert Kari and she switched on the news to learn of this nightmare that was unfolding. Suddenly I was panicking about what else might wind up happening. What was next? Where was next? What in the hell is going on, basically? I was scared beyond belief.
Students arrived that morning with millions of questions. I was really put to the test as we dealt with this developing story. All I wanted to do was leave, but these students needed answers and support and we weren't sending anyone home. The rest of that day is a blur, quite frankly.
I've read books about 9/11. I've read articles. I've seen documentaries. I've heard theories about conspiracies. I'm sure that the story of the this day will never be fully told.
Eight years later, all I can say is that I can look back on today's beautiful weather and smile. I can think about the students in my class who made patriotic pictures to share in memory of those innocent victims and those brave individuals who sacrificed their lives. When I think of seeing that airplane this morning, I think of the people on board heading safely to their various destinations. What overtook me today was a feeling of pride for our country. I am proud that we've fought through and made it to this point.
I hope that we will always remember how we came together on that day in the face of danger and tragedy. To me, that is what it means to be an American.
I was a new teacher of about two weeks. That particular morning, a Tuesday, I was heading in to work but I had to stop at the cleaners. I hurried up to the counter where the old, Chinese lady was stationed. She rang up my sale and worked the lever on the thousands of shirts and slacks on their contraption before she found mine. She seemed distracted though, and she was motioning and gesturing to her side for me to look at something. I leaned over the counter and saw on her little TV set a building apparently on fire.
My first thought was that she was watching Independence Day or something and I kind of laughed or something as I gathered my clothes from the rack above the counter. I could tell she wanted to tell me what was happening but I was in a bit of a rush and I didn't have time to figure out what she was saying.
When I got into the car I switched on KCBS and suddenly it hit me what didn't click earlier in the store when I had a glimpse at her TV. A journalist was describing a scene so surreal that to hear it on the radio was simply too hard to comprehend. He was describing the World Trade Center literally falling to the ground. This building is one that I've never seen before but it would tower over ANY in San Francisco. It was like War of the Worlds or something because I just kept thinking, 'No way, no way, no way...' all the rest of the way to school.
In the parking lot that morning, a co-worker of mine was exiting her car and we both sort of had no idea what was going on. I raced to my classroom and quickly watched the news. I switched on my computer and went to Google News to learn that another plane had landed and crashed into the Pentagon. Then came word another plane had crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.
I called home to alert Kari and she switched on the news to learn of this nightmare that was unfolding. Suddenly I was panicking about what else might wind up happening. What was next? Where was next? What in the hell is going on, basically? I was scared beyond belief.
Students arrived that morning with millions of questions. I was really put to the test as we dealt with this developing story. All I wanted to do was leave, but these students needed answers and support and we weren't sending anyone home. The rest of that day is a blur, quite frankly.
I've read books about 9/11. I've read articles. I've seen documentaries. I've heard theories about conspiracies. I'm sure that the story of the this day will never be fully told.
Eight years later, all I can say is that I can look back on today's beautiful weather and smile. I can think about the students in my class who made patriotic pictures to share in memory of those innocent victims and those brave individuals who sacrificed their lives. When I think of seeing that airplane this morning, I think of the people on board heading safely to their various destinations. What overtook me today was a feeling of pride for our country. I am proud that we've fought through and made it to this point.
I hope that we will always remember how we came together on that day in the face of danger and tragedy. To me, that is what it means to be an American.
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