September 11th

Today, I wanted to talk about something a little bigger than just my life. Today is September 11th. It was 12 years ago today that the plane crash changed the world and all life as we knew it ended. Because after that day, life changed for better or for worse. I still remember the day and events that followed. Of course, I was just about to turn 6, so I didn't pay much attention to many of the things going on in the world, but I think I still knew a little bit of what was happening.

I remember I was excited. It was the day before my birthday and it's all I wanted to talk about. My friend from preschool, Meghan, was in my class and I couldn't wait to play with her. We were living in the mobile home park in one of the permanent houses. We had moved over the summer and I had my own room. I had shared a room with my mom before, so I was excited to have my own space. It was a normal day for me. My mom turned on the news and I remember watching it with her and seeing the planes crash, but I remember not really feeling any fear or anxiety. I didn't really know it was happening until it was explained later. We made it to school and Meghan was there with her mom, but Meghan ended up going home. I remember being both jealous and sad. Meghan was one of my only friends and I wanted to play with her. But I was jealous because I was the kid that pretended to be sick just to stay home with my mom. I wanted to have that day with my mom. I don't remember the rest of that day, but that morning is fresh in my mind. I remember in the next week or so we started singing songs in the classroom. I remember even though it was a public school, we sang "God Bless the USA" a lot after that in our first grade class.

It's strange to think about where we were when such major things happen. And it's the kind of thing that isn't easily forgotten. I learned much later that my mom almost did pull me out of school that day. She sat at work and the employees didn't do anything. She said she wished she had stayed home with me.

I think the strangest part for me to remember is not the surrealism of it all, but the fact that it happened in my lifetime. We read in history books about all sorts of different things and maybe it's just me, but I always wonder what it would be live then. But this is something that I was alive for.

I'm curious to know, do you remember where you were? What you felt?

Please keep the families of those who died in your hearts today in honor of their memories.

With love,
PolarBearMoose <3