I won't even attempt to try to explain the significance of the events that took place eight years ago today. Every blogger wants to mark this day because to not mention it seems to undermind its importance, although I highly doubt that anyone would intend to do so.
So, I'm going to leave the floor open. Comment if you wish. Tell me where you were that day (we all remember, don't we?). I was at home sick that day, a full-time student at KU Law. Spencer and I weren't yet married, but we had a lovely house in Tonganoxie. He was working at the bank in Lawrence. We had Layla and Harley, but not Charlie. Cartman was born a week later to the day.
I remember sitting on the couch and all of a sudden every station on TV was reporting that a plane had crashed. I watched, thinking that's so sad.... Then, I saw on TV the second plane hit and my breath left me. I don't know how long it took for me to breathe again. It seemed like an eternity. Then reports from everywhere about everything from gas shortages to mass terrorist attacks being imminent. I hurried and got dressed and went into Lawrence to see Spencer. We talked. Ironically he said that there were people coming into the bank saying they were enlisting in the Army that day (ironic since he said that was foolish, but enlisted himself less than a year later). I remember gas being $6/gal as I drove home and lines a mile long. I remember holding my breath, waiting to see what was going to happen next. I thought often to those brave souls who took down that plane in the Pennsylvania field, choosing to be heros rather than victims.
Fortunately life went on, for most of us. I was married, divorced, met so very many wonderful people along the way. Got to visit London again, Korea, got Eddie and all my other lovely horses. Got Charlie and my other great pets. Moved to Tombstone, then Kansas, then Texas, and now finally back near KC. Dropped out of Law School, got my first job as a Contracts Administrator, got into insurance and now back as a Contracts Administrator. Did I mention getting some fabulous friends along the way? :)
It's odd that when something impacts our lives so profoundly that we tend to gauge our lives from that point forward. So what is it that you remember about that day? What have you done these past eight years? What does life now mean for you?
1 comment:
It's a long story, and I'll gladly tell you in person sometime.
It didn't change my life so much since 9/11 was so politicized (esp. by Rudy Giuliani including a noun, a verb, and 9/11 in every sentence or talking point since that day...and others are almost as guilty of that). I've always hated any use of 9/11 references which were meant to make people feel vulnerable and afraid and emotional (and therefore less rational and logical) so that the audience would be more likely to gloss over whatever else was pertinent (i.e. torture and/or detaining people without probable cause, charges or even Miranda rights) and actually praise and pledge further loyalty to those who had claimed to have kept us safe despite their focus on Iraq instead of imminent terrorist threats.
-Mark
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