A few months ago, when I was watching The Thing Called Love, I noticed and pointed out to Sean that the twin towers were still visible. He didn’t really have a reaction then. A few days ago, I thought about this and I half told and half asked him about his recollection of 9/11.
He told me that he did not have one. Of course he did not! I was about four months pregnant with him! I’ve been thinking about that fact. I can remember exactly where I was! When the first tower was hit, I was in a dark auditorium, cut off from the world, and looking at slides in my Art History class. I remember my class ending and walking to my next class. I got seated in my desk when a male student came in and announced to all of us sitting there that the second tower fell.
The woman sitting to my left immediately became hysterical Just as the professor came into the class. In that moment, I learned that the woman to my left used to work in the second tower. My professor canceled class and told us to find a television.
I remember walking toward the library and the first person I called was my Mom. I didn’t know what exactly was going on then but I knew that I was afraid and if I talked to my Mom; I would feel better.
Today marked 18 years since the attack happened. As is my ritual, I turned on GMFB and I learned that their studio is right across the street from the fire house. They started the show discussing 9/11 and it was in the moments of silence in the morning that they changed over to CNN and the site of the 9/11 Memorial. Teaching, we always observed moments of silence but being alone is different then being in the classroom with kids who were too young to know about that day.
I’m not sure what made me be so much more emotional but I just sat in my chair and let the tears stream down my face. Just after GMFB was over, I switched over to CNN. And I ended up crying so much more. I fell asleep for a long time in the afternoon and woke up still not feeling OK. Those moments of silence in the morning have really undone me and I remembered how sad my Mom was when it first happened.
I have been sad all day and I remember seeing a documentary with my Mom on the first anniversary of 9/11. It was about all of the babies who were born after 911 because their mothers (whether they knew it or not) we’re pregnant just after and their fathers perished there. I remember it being so sad and I ended up writing about it in my writing class the next day.
I thought about when my professor handed the papers back, (it was just a 20 minute free write) and she was taken with my writing skills. I was passionate about it and it was easy for me to write. Today was a sad day for me but I know that it is so much more sad for so many other Americans!