Thoughts on September 11th

In describing my feelings about the terrible events of September eleventh, I must refer to a quote by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  

"December 7th, 1941, a date which will live in infamy; the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan" -- President Franklin D. Roosevelt (December 8, 1941) (1)

Hopefully, you realize that the bright, early autumn day in question was my generation's "date of infamy".  It was a day of death and destruction that nobody thought could ever occur.  

Even almost eighteen years later, I still remember where I was when I heard the news of the attacks.  On that day, I was visiting my mother in South Florida.  I had just woken up from the previous night's sleep; my recollection is that the sky was a brilliant shade of blue, even in Florida.  Suddenly, I heard my mother say, "turn on the TV, the World Trade Center's on fire".  My reaction was one of utter amazement; I had to rub my eyes to make sure I wasn't still asleep (this was just before the second crash).  

In the next moments of the day, my innocence (and that of many others) was shattered forever.  As I watched, stunned by the scene unfolding, ANOTHER large jet crashed headlong into the Trade Center.  

I don't recall much about the next few minutes; it is a blur to me.  What I do remember is my reaction upon hearing that Washington was under attack ("the Pentagon TOO?!"), and sitting before the television, my jaw having fallen through the floor (as opposed to it being "on the floor"). 

Then, something really strange happened.  

Looking at a shot of the burning (South?) Tower, I commented to my mother that the building seemed to be leaning a bit.  To this day, I remember exactly what I said; it was "does that tower look stable to you?" 

There are no words to describe the gravity of the next moments.  What I witnessed was, in all likelihood, the most horrific thing I have ever seen in my life (the word "horrific" doesn't even come close to illustrating the terror of that day).  Before an audience of millions, perhaps even billions, the (South?) Tower buckled...and fell in a gigantic dust cloud.  The (North?) Tower would do the same some time later.  

As the buildings fell, they took with them the lives of many innocent people.  It wasn't just Americans who were killed on that day; it was people of every stripe.  Many of the lives lost belonged to everyday citizens; those blue-collar workers who showed up to do their jobs, day in and day out.  These men and women thought they would come home to their families that night; history had other plans for over three thousand souls.  

It has been said that "time heals all wounds".  Even so, the man who coined this phrase probably could've never fathomed the absolute horror of this September day.  

The wounds associated with the events of September eleventh are still fresh, like a cut that does not heal.  They irrevocably changed America, indeed the entire world.  And yes, we lost a little bit that morning.  Yet. here we stand, still the proud beacon of "liberty enlightening the world" (the original name of the Statue of Liberty).  To paraphrase Mel Gibson in "Braveheart", our enemies may have taken American lives, but they will never take American freedom.  

Thanks for reading. 

"No matter how long it may take us...the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory" -- President Franklin D. Roosevelt (December 8th, 1941) (1)

Sources:

1. "Roosevelt's Infamy Speech". Web.Archive.Org, 1997, https://web.archive.org/web/20051024210238/http://www.law.ou.edu/hist/infamy.html. Accessed 10 Sept 2019.