I’m sure we all remember where we were on September 11, 2001.
I had just dropped off my children at school. My regular routine was to return home afterward, watch the Today Show, and then proceed with my day. I was a stay-at-home mom and spent most of my time volunteering at the schools. That day, however, I had an appointment to get my hair highlighted…a long appointment given my thick hair…so I scheduled it for first thing.
I’m glad.
I wasn’t home to watch the footage that would be shown live.
I stopped at the gas station on the way to pick up a soda and chocolate bar as a treat for myself. When I walked into the store, I didn’t pay much attention to the people around me since I was in a hurry. But I do remember someone asking if they had a TV. Kind of weird, but like I said, I wasn’t really paying attention.
When I got back into the car, I turned on the radio. I had about a 15 minute drive ahead of me. I don’t remember exactly what the DJ said as he broke in during the middle of a song, but I do remember being very surpised. I called Mr. AuburnChick, who is in the know about this kind of stuff, and he confirmed what I had heard but explained that details were still sketchy. As I drove, more information was forthcoming, and my heart started beating faster.
As I pulled into the parking lot of the salon, I was overcome with sadness. By now both towers had been hit. I, like most people around the world, felt overwhelmed by the sense of loss. All I could think about was was the families left behind.
You see, I had just lost my dad very unexpectedly in April of that year, and I was still grieving heavily.
I composed myself and went into the salon. After calling the school and receiving assurances that my children were safe, I decided to stay at the salon. There wasn’t anything I could do. My hairdresser didn’t have a TV (another blessing), but we listened to the radio. He was the owner, and his wife manned the front desk. They were from New York and had family there. I lived in South Florida, which has many transplanted New Yorkers. They tried many times to reach their relatives to get assurances that everyone was accounted for. The telephone lines stayed busy for hours.
So we listened to the radio. We cried when the towers fell. We grew more fearful at reports of planes that were unaccounted for.
Such sadness and confusion…
After my hair appointment, I went to the school, not checking my children out (although many children had left), but simply feeling the need to be around them. I ate lunch with Rockin’ Rooster, trying to act as normal as possible so as not to alarm the children, who had a sense that something tragic had happened.
By the time I got home that afternoon, the news coverage was not as graphic although still so very sad. Again, this was a blessing for me given my mental state with losing my dad (plus some other heavy stuff that I had gone through that year).
Every September 11th, I remember the very many who died, and I am reminded about my own personal loss…my dad.
Time heals, but the memories of that day and the sadness it created will always remain.
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