9-11-13

This is a day to remember. This day 12 years ago, I was 10 years old, living in Fairfield, California. I woke up to a seemingly normal day but it was turned sideways. We turned on the television and every channel was covering the same story. Terrorism. It wasn't even a word I was overly familiar with, but I could feel its affect. I thought I lived in a country where the only thing I had to fear was my neighbor. Sad really. I lived in a place where the guns that were trained on  you were being held by someone who lived in the same country. The country I lived in seemed to at a perpetual civil war. But now I found out that there were others who had their sights trained on the place I called home. I was terrified that someone was going to blow up my home next. If they could attack New York City what would keep them from attacking here?

We didn't do homework that day. We sat in front of the tv watching the news, calling friends, checking to make certain that the people we loved were safe. I didn't know people that lived on the east coast. The closest people we knew lived in the south. But still we called to check in with everyone. I can't say I remember the day very well. But I remember flashes. I can still think of what the lay out of the living room was as we sat on the couch watching, horrified, as they played the crash over and over. I pray that my future children never have to experience such a day. The horror is something I can never forget. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.