My 9/11 Memories

Sept. 11, 2001, is a day that changed all of us. According to a recently released Pew Research survey, 97 percent of us remember where we were when we heard the news of the 9/11 attacks. Though my story is no more unique than yours, for some reason, I still feel the need to tell the tale.

I was waiting at the bus stop with my three sons, two of whom were in elementary school. One of the grandmothers who was also at the bus stop asked, “Did you see the news this morning? A plane has hit a building in New York.” As we continued talking I assumed that some poor pilot had lost his or her bearings while driving a private plane. We speculated on how odd it was that a plane would hit a building and what must have gone wrong. We talked for a minute or two, and then the grandmother, who never left her granddaughter at the bus stop before the bus arrived, said, “I just have to go. I need to find out more.”

I stayed with the kids and saw them safely onto the bus. My youngest and I wandered back to the house and while he watched Sesame Street I wandered up a half flight of stairs to continue some unpacking of boxes from our move just a month earlier.

After some time, I remembered the report on the plane and turned on the upstairs TV to see what had happened with this crazy plane. You know the rest of the story. After seeing the second plane hit, I called my husband at work and left a message about the news. I left him five messages that day, one after each new bit of information—the Pentagon, rural Pennsylvania, fears for the safety of the White House, then the halting of all airplane traffic.

Our church is having several significant events on 9/11, including, in worship, some sharing from a church member who was at the Pentagon when the plane hit. After worship we’re taking time to write thank you notes to those who are currently serving in the military. You are invited to come! I hope that wherever you are that day, you tell someone your story.

We all have a story to tell about this day, whose 10th anniversary is arriving in less than 10 days. What is your story?