Memories of 9/11

Where were you?

Do you Remember?

I was in Boston.  I remember the call from my wife when the first plane hit. . . . it was an accident they thought. . . .

I remember everyone on their computers trying to load CNN but the web server could not handle it. . . the news showed the second plane hit. . .  We were gathered around a TV in a conference room.  I remember thinking about a Tom Clancy book where the bad guy used a plane to attack DC and thinking “damn they better get a CAP up ASAP down there”. 

I remember the Pentagon getting hit and the last plane going down when Americans stood up and fought back.  They died so that folks on the ground they didn’t even know would live.  They did what needed to be done.  I remember wondering if I had it in me to do that.

I remember us all wondering where a co-worker had disappeared to. . . then the rumors his brother (also a co-worker) was on flight 11. . . then the confirmation.  He died because he skipped the original flight he was booked on the day before so he could see his kids play soccer.

I remember getting told we could go home, and on the way doing a mental breakdown of what I had at home to take care of the family and protect them. . . I learned I needed to prep more. .  . I remember my friend I carpooled with calling me to see if we were leaving because she was getting out of the city one way or another. . . We wondered where the next hit would be

I remember almost a week with no aircraft flying, and how weird it was to sit on Boston Common at lunch and not see any in the air, to not hear them all the time. . . so quiet.  Same at home, we are under one of the landing patterns and nothing for days. . . .

I remember we woke up to reality for a while, we pulled together, and we got the job done. 

Sadly, now we have gone back to sleep.  We have our own elected officials trying to open our borders to make it easer for these folks to get in the country.  We have even elected folks to Congress who support terror groups.  We let the government pass law after law taking away our rights as we pretend it makes us safer. . . .

Time for us to wake up.  Time to remember who and what we are.  I hope we can.