Thursday, September 15, 2011
A prayer for the lives lost...
My family and I were stationed in Michigan when 9-11 occurred. The day started out like any other day. I woke up early to get ready for my job that was about an hour drive from where I lived. My husband and kids were still in bed when I left for work. At that time, I was teaching art to grades 6-8. I worked at a very prestigious school in Michigan. It was a private middle school for all girls'. There was nothing different about this particular day. I taught my first period class...I can't really remember what lesson I was teaching though. It is very sketchy right now. But I do remember that I was on my prep period and I was grading some artwork. Suddenly one of my co-workers came to my room to inform me that a plane had just crashed into one of the twin towers. We immediately turned on the television in our room. We then saw the second plane hit. My first thought was how are my children and my husband. I quickly called my husband at work and then I called my children's school. We were released early from school and I immediately went home. My husband had picked up our kids since he was closer to them. That day was a very somber and scary day. My heart and prayers went out to all those who lost their lives because of this tragedy. Our school was closed the next day, but my children still had classes. I spent the next day, Sept. 12th, my anniversary, sitting on the couch watching the news and on the bottom of the screen, there was a rolling display of all the lives that was known to have been lost from this tragic event. All I could do was cry and pray for them and their family.
A terrible night
Image via WikipediaI remember clearly the night the towers fell. It happened around midnight Guam-time; I was awake but I wasn't watching TV. A relative from the East coast called and told us to turn on the television. At first I thought it was a small plane that had collided with the tower - what else could it be? Then more footage became available and the situation appeared more dire. But when the second plane hit the other tower, it was clear that this was much more than an accident. As the events unfolded on that terrible night, I felt as though reality was slipping away. The thing I remember most of all was holding my newborn daughter and thinking what sort of world did we bring her into? 
REMEMBERING 911
The decision to keep my children at home or send them to school was weighing on my mind. My husband made the decision for me. “We shouldn’t let what happened scare us. Send the kids to school, everything will be fine”.
Ten years have passed and that dreadful and ominous day is a sad memory to us. What is so distressing, is every year my son has to share his birthday with the haunting reminder, of one of the most tragic and unfortunate events that America has experienced.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Remembering 9/11
I remembered waking up to the radio alarm informing the listeners of the attack on the World Trade Center by terrorists. When I arrived at work, everyone was talking about it. I remember speaking to a social studies teacher who woke up early and recorded the scene. Her lesson plan changed that day as a result of the attack. September 11, 2001 was a day when both students and teacher’s attention was on the World Trade Center. It was later that morning when I was able to watch the video of the attack which brought tears to my eyes. One of the greatest impact this world ever experienced occurred that day.
Remembering September 11, 2001
I awoke to the sound of the people shouting and chaos, I soon realized the TV set was on. At first I thought it was a movie, then I realized my husband was watching CNN. As we watched the events of that terrible day unfold before our eyes, we were in shock. I sat beside my husband; we were glued to the scenes of the tragic sight of the twin towers being hit by planes and then collapsing in front of our eyes. It was hard to grasp what was happening and how many lives were lost, families shattered, and a whole country paralyzed with fear and pain. Little did we realize how much that day would change our lives and the world forever.
Remebering 9/11
I was getting ready to begin the day when the Twin Towers were hit. It was about 10:00 am when I made my way into the family room. My aunts were glued to the television set, I thought it was odd that they both were home this early, but didn’t bother to ask for their reasons. I walked over to the older one and asked if she had heard from my grandparents (she had dropped them to catch a flight to LAX earlier ). Her eyes were watery and she said,” We’re under attack.” I looked over at the t.v. and saw the scene of the World Trade Center crumbling down. That afternoon I drove through the streets looking for anything that was open. Most stores were closed, children had been sent home from schools, and parents were rushing home to be with their families. By night the entire block was lined with American flags hanging from the side of garage doors.
At work the next morning, people were solemn but kind. The tragic events of the day before had united us. We were no longer strangers in the hallways or faces without a names. Instead a community faced with uncertainty, fears, and concerns that no one had the answers for.
At work the next morning, people were solemn but kind. The tragic events of the day before had united us. We were no longer strangers in the hallways or faces without a names. Instead a community faced with uncertainty, fears, and concerns that no one had the answers for.
What I remember
I remember going to work. We heard about what happened. Was a shock. Unbelievable. Several teachers had been able to watch CNN and the breaking news. The footage seemed to continually run. The scenes of the planes flying and hitting the twin towers, the plumes of smoke, people on the streets below trying to shield themselves and running for cover. Some people just standing and looking up, as if in shock.
I remember a couple of fellow teachers coming to my classroom at different times. They were both looking for safety pins. I had several sets. They were surprised I had so much. I asked them what they were going to do with them. They said they needed to do something. Have the students do something creative and in commemoration of the tragedy which had occurred. Then they left.
The students who had come into my class were talking about it. Unfortunately, I hadn't seen any of the footage. My lesson plan for the day, pushed aside. I ended up having a class discussion about what they had heard, some of them had seen it on television. They had gone to the library, where our librarian had been watching the news. Some of the students had asked, "Why would these terrorists do this to the World Trade Center?" While others asked, "Will they try to do this to us, too?"
I explained to my students there were still people around the world who don't have liberty or freedom like we do. And more often than not, we, who are free, don't always appreciate what we have. And those who don't like this, will do what they will to change this for their benefit, their gain. They may not perceive what they do as being wrong, but just and right. Violence isn't the solution.
There was confusion, fear, anger, hopelessness, and frustration expressed by my students. They were frustrated because they felt strongly, what had been done was unfair. Innocent people and children had been killed, injured, lost. If someone, or group could do this to the United States, then what about us? A fearful, dreadful thought. I asked them what they wanted to do. How could we help? What would be possible solutions to this problem? They wanted to help.
We decided to start a penny drive. Whatever monies we collected, we'd send off to help those who were affected by this tragedy. My class wasn't the only one who came up with the idea. I found out other teachers and students on our campus had the same idea. So we ended up pooling our monies.
When I got home, I watched the news. I was shocked and horrified by the images, the recorded messages from some of the passengers on the airplane, cell phone conversations sound bites that were shared on air as part of the news footage.
The following day, in my teacher's box, I found safety pins with beads threaded through them in red, white, and blue. I was told to put on the pin in a sign of courage and solidarity in the face of adversity. As a way to express our sorrow. We held a moment of silence at our school. Students, staff, and teachers put on the pin for several weeks. For those who didn't have a pin, they wore layered ribbons of red, white, and blue on the upper left side of their shirts, blouses, or uniforms. Some wore both pins and ribbons.
The few ribbons given to me by my students, had deteriorated to the point where I don't have them anymore. Although it's been many years and all those lives were lost on that tragic day, they are not forgotten. Even though I don't know their names, have never met any one of them before or their families, I still remember. I still wear my pins. I still conduct the moment of silence.
I remember a couple of fellow teachers coming to my classroom at different times. They were both looking for safety pins. I had several sets. They were surprised I had so much. I asked them what they were going to do with them. They said they needed to do something. Have the students do something creative and in commemoration of the tragedy which had occurred. Then they left.
The students who had come into my class were talking about it. Unfortunately, I hadn't seen any of the footage. My lesson plan for the day, pushed aside. I ended up having a class discussion about what they had heard, some of them had seen it on television. They had gone to the library, where our librarian had been watching the news. Some of the students had asked, "Why would these terrorists do this to the World Trade Center?" While others asked, "Will they try to do this to us, too?"
I explained to my students there were still people around the world who don't have liberty or freedom like we do. And more often than not, we, who are free, don't always appreciate what we have. And those who don't like this, will do what they will to change this for their benefit, their gain. They may not perceive what they do as being wrong, but just and right. Violence isn't the solution.
There was confusion, fear, anger, hopelessness, and frustration expressed by my students. They were frustrated because they felt strongly, what had been done was unfair. Innocent people and children had been killed, injured, lost. If someone, or group could do this to the United States, then what about us? A fearful, dreadful thought. I asked them what they wanted to do. How could we help? What would be possible solutions to this problem? They wanted to help.
We decided to start a penny drive. Whatever monies we collected, we'd send off to help those who were affected by this tragedy. My class wasn't the only one who came up with the idea. I found out other teachers and students on our campus had the same idea. So we ended up pooling our monies.
When I got home, I watched the news. I was shocked and horrified by the images, the recorded messages from some of the passengers on the airplane, cell phone conversations sound bites that were shared on air as part of the news footage.
The following day, in my teacher's box, I found safety pins with beads threaded through them in red, white, and blue. I was told to put on the pin in a sign of courage and solidarity in the face of adversity. As a way to express our sorrow. We held a moment of silence at our school. Students, staff, and teachers put on the pin for several weeks. For those who didn't have a pin, they wore layered ribbons of red, white, and blue on the upper left side of their shirts, blouses, or uniforms. Some wore both pins and ribbons.
The few ribbons given to me by my students, had deteriorated to the point where I don't have them anymore. Although it's been many years and all those lives were lost on that tragic day, they are not forgotten. Even though I don't know their names, have never met any one of them before or their families, I still remember. I still wear my pins. I still conduct the moment of silence.
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