National Remembrance '08
Sep. 11th, 2008 11:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stinglikeabeeThis post honoring EMTs, firefighters, police, and those who have died in 9/11 brought back my memories of that day seven years ago.
I remember the sky was dark grey that morning, which is pretty strange for Los Angeles. No one would tell me what had happen, other than give each other horribly agonised looks every now and then. By the time I stepped in the college's open lounge and saw the number of people sitting perfectly still and quiet in front of the television, I knew something big had gone down. We were all transfixed by the horror - some had tear-stained faces, one or two were shaking with anger, and a few were frantically calling their loved ones, unaware the phone lines were down. Someone brought up cookies and hot drinks from the cafeteria, pressing us into taking something, anything. I didn't touch a thing.
I left the lounge and headed into the computer room a few steps away, and without knowing how or why, ended up in a chat room discussing what we had just witnessed. Instead of the hateful screed against Muslim terrorists (before we even knew of Bin Laden), the entire chat room was full of people from around the world offering solidarity and messages of peace, telling us not to give up.
And now? We watched helplessly as the towers collapsed, lumps in our throats, and abruptly aware this would change our view of the world irrevocably. The innocence of the American people were lost that day, and seven years later I'd say we're still grieving without a clue of what to do next.
Do we continue down the path of war and destruction? Or do we face our weaknesses in pain self-reflection for real and ultimately healing, change?
I remember the sky was dark grey that morning, which is pretty strange for Los Angeles. No one would tell me what had happen, other than give each other horribly agonised looks every now and then. By the time I stepped in the college's open lounge and saw the number of people sitting perfectly still and quiet in front of the television, I knew something big had gone down. We were all transfixed by the horror - some had tear-stained faces, one or two were shaking with anger, and a few were frantically calling their loved ones, unaware the phone lines were down. Someone brought up cookies and hot drinks from the cafeteria, pressing us into taking something, anything. I didn't touch a thing.
I left the lounge and headed into the computer room a few steps away, and without knowing how or why, ended up in a chat room discussing what we had just witnessed. Instead of the hateful screed against Muslim terrorists (before we even knew of Bin Laden), the entire chat room was full of people from around the world offering solidarity and messages of peace, telling us not to give up.
And now? We watched helplessly as the towers collapsed, lumps in our throats, and abruptly aware this would change our view of the world irrevocably. The innocence of the American people were lost that day, and seven years later I'd say we're still grieving without a clue of what to do next.
Do we continue down the path of war and destruction? Or do we face our weaknesses in pain self-reflection for real and ultimately healing, change?
no subject
Date: 2008-09-13 03:34 am (UTC)