Looking Back on the Fear of 9-11

I don't remember a lot from 10 years ago or the day before on September 10th... But I do remember the morning of 9-11-01.

I remember important family events and some of my daughter's "firsts" as she was just a month from being a year old on September 11th, 2001. She was a little baby, safe from all the worries and disbelief of that horrific day.

When I first awoke that morning and was told by my husband of what happened, I didn't quite believe him at first. There had to be some sort of mistake. But then just minutes later, I heard of the second attack, and then the Pentagon being crashed into.... It seemed as if the world was ending that day... I literally sat glued to the television that entire day, watching in silence as the events unfolded...

Being only 20 myself that year, I had never seen Americans in such fear. The looks on the faces of all of those from downtown New York were unforgettable. The tears of those who wept that lost loved ones. The looks of worry upon those who held photos of missing family and friends on the news. It was heart-breaking.

I being an avid soap watcher had set my VCR to record my favorite soap that day. I still have about an hours worth of news footage from CBS from Sept. 11th, 2001. There hasn't really been a day that I have been able to watch it again. When those two towers fell---it seemed like the end was coming.... Perhaps the end of America and how we were.....10 years ago we felt safe.... perhaps we were naive?.... Or that nothing could touch us. Terrorists that day proved us wrong. Since that day, many of us have grown ...America still hasn't quite recovered, but many of us do look over our backs now....

That day is engraved into our memories forever... It was a hard learned lesson that we should have never had to experience. So many lives and innocence was lost. And now, as the years go by, America can only continue to overcome what happened...and continue to fight back....

Below is a poem that I wrote 10 years ago about that horrific day......

In Memory: September 11th, 2001

The day that America cried,
The day that we as a nation, almost lost our pride.

'Tis was a sad and heartfelt day,
I believe that the memories will never fade away.

Our heroes who fought for their lives to save the next target,
The heroes who worked day and night, to rescue the wounded

This was the time that our nation came together as one,
As we united and mourned together of the tragic events that struck our life

America and its generation will never be the same,
Or will we live without fear or pain.
Our minds are grief stricken.
Our hearts are broken.

This is a time for healing,
A time for uniting
A time to pray
Not to run away.

America, our nation, we are scared and hurting for those at war,
For those who lost their lives.
But we as a people,
Shall stand together,
To unite and protect
Our fathered land.