2001

I remember sitting and watching the sunset over Mount Scott from the woods next to our house on September 10, 2001. I was 15 years old.
The next morning was a beautiful day. The sky was blue, but a little hazy. It was cool enough that we had the house open, instead of having the air on.
We were all gathered around the computer to look at the new Spanish curriculum my dad had just got. We had to get online to see part of it, so we weren't reachable by phone for awhile, and we didn't have the TV on.
When we finally got offline mid morning, the phone immediately rang. It was my grandma. Kathie, I think, but since mom was talking, not me, I could be wrong.
She told mom to turn on the TV right now, a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. Mom asked what channel? To which Grandma replied ANY channel. Mom got off the phone and told dad what was going on. I asked what the World Trade Center was. I'd never heard of it.
At first it wasn't a big deal to me, I was sad that people had died, but thought it was an accident.
Then he second plane hit. People started talking about it maybe being a terrorist attack. Then I was scared. I felt like I had a heavy weight in my chest for several days. I couldn't sleep, but I tried to be happy for my little brothers who didn't understand what was going on. I could tell mom and dad were doing the same.
I thought it was the beginning of the end of the world. It scared me. But not so much as that the world would end, as much as I wanted to get married some day. To have kids, and grand kids. If the world ended, I couldn't. I know I prayed a lot. Sometimes I just had to get away from the TV, to tune it out for awhile. To try to get my mind off it. But that made me feel guilty. What about those who couldn't get away from it?
Eventually the scared went away. It was still a terrible thing, we prayed for those trapped under the buildings, that they would be rescued quickly, or had died quickly and didn't have to suffer.
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September 11 is also a happy day for me. On September 11, 2006 my second nephew was born. He is three years old today. Happy birthday Gavin. I love you.