Sunday, September 11, 2011

Remembering 9/11

Without a doubt, it is a moment in history that people will never forget. Inspired by radio rebroadcast that I had to listen to on my 10 hour drive, and all of the memorial footage on TV, I will try to be brief, and relay what I remember about that day in my life. Just please excuse the grammar and spelling.

It was my freshman year in college, and I was in my political science class when the first plane hit. We received word in class of what had happened and the teacher turned the TV on and for the rest of the class we just watched. After the class I head back to the dorm, and then head out to report to my national guard unit for the first time (after being active army for the previous two years). At this time I knew it was a terrorist attack, and upon learning what my unit's mission was, I had no doubt I would be making a trip overseas, I just had no idea when.

Upon returning to campus and getting to my dorm room, I find out that the rest of the classes for the day had been cancelled. A few people on the floor where crying. By this time, the entire attack was over, for me the most difficult part was what happened after that. I'm not sure if it was that day, or a few days later, but in one of my classes (this one consisting of everyone on my floor in the dorm) we just had a discussion about what happened. Me being the oldest person in the class, and the only one with a military background, I was getting asked a lot of questions.

I found myself trying to figure out how to tell young adults, some of them barely 19, most 18, what would motivate someone to do such a thing. It was really difficult explaining to them how in the real world everything isn't sunshine and lollipops. I was also having to explain what it was taking so long for the U.S. to take military action. When that class was all said and done, most people just went back to their rooms except me and one other person. I don't know if she knew someone who was killed in the attacks personally, or was just really emotional, but all I could do then was give her a shoulder to cry on for what might had been the next hour or two.

That is all I feel like sharing.

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