September 11th anniversary, what does it mean to you?

[tvguy]

I was in the control room of a TV station in Sacramento, producing a local morning newscast. After the first plane hit, ABC started sending us pictures of what they thought, at the time, was a fire in the World Trade Center. Then there were reports minutes later that a "small" plane had hit the tower. We switched from our local news, to an ABC special report about 2 minutes before the second plane hit the second tower. I can not describe the feeling I had at that second. I was thousands of miles away, but tremendously impacted by what I had just seen. It felt like I had a rock in my stomach, a feeling I had never had before, and haven't had since. Of course, over the coming hours, it got far worse.

It just seems to me, particularly here on the west coast, that the passage of 9 years....and the physical distance have sharply reduced the horror and emotion of what happened.
Any thoughts?

 

[Dee77]

I agree, a lot of people seem to have faded memories of exactly what that day signified, the lives that were lost and the fact that it changed our country forever.

 

[rie'smom]

What does it mean to me? It means that many innocent people lost their lives and lost loved ones. It means that some had lingering injuries from the rescue and cleanup and suffer today.

It means I keep waiting for the next attack. Will it be NYC and DC again? Will it be LA or Houston? Will they strike Podunk USA just because they can?

It means that too many have become complacent again.

 

[Shutterbug]

Tomorrow is Aviation Day at the local airport 1/2 mile away.
That same airport 9 years ago was on lock down with police cruisers parked out front blocking the entrance.

Tomorrow that airport will have planes buzzing the sky.
9 years ago the normal sound of planes landing and taking off was replaced with dead silence.

 

[GeorgeG]

It reminds me of how vulnerable we can be, of several friends with the FDNY who were lost, and my niece who got out safely before the collapse.

 

[charming23]

September 11th reminds me that we are just as vulnerable as anybody else and that we need to remind the people we love that we love them everyday, because you never know what could happen next.

 

[bunkkinsmom]

baking cookies with my 3 kids and delivering to the local fire departments and army reserve station. A great chance to tell the kids about what happened and teach a few lessons.

 

[christineann]

Nine years later, still shocked.

 

[eduk8r26]

It reminds me my sister lost her husband and her children their father. Even though I live on the West Coast, I can never forget what happened.

 

[shellabell]

Still so unbelievable. Every year I watch the coverage and the documentaries, but really it hits me at different times throughout the year. More than the vulnerability I think of the bravery that was shown.

 

[Mr.MouseFan]

It means we should never forget those that perished on that tragic day. Innocent men, women, children. It means we should never forget the brave men and women on Flight 93 and the brave men and women in the NYPD and FDNY who made the ultimate sacrifice to save lives.

It means, to me anyway, that the endless bickering and politicking should stop, if only for one day, to simply remember.

 

[livie1205]

What does it mean to me? It means that many innocent people lost their lives and lost loved ones. It means that some had lingering injuries from the rescue and cleanup and suffer today.

It means I keep waiting for the next attack. Will it be NYC and DC again? Will it be LA or Houston? Will they strike Podunk USA just because they can?

It means that too many have become complacent again.

I agree...I just wait..you can never again think it can not happen here.

 

[emma'smom]

Dear Terrorists,

It's just about morning on 9-11-10....and guess what, YOU DIDN"T WIN!

You attacked our city, but we rose up stronger than ever!

I stood at my window and watched those buildings smoke, and wondered what would become of all of us.

Nine years later, I'm headed off to take my daughter (who was born into a world where we have always been at war) to play and laugh with her friends while I do the same with mine.

We still smile, we still hope, we still dream!

You tried to blow our spirits out.....but they're stronger than ever!

Nine years later the sky is still as blue as I remember that morning in the city. The sun still shines and we're still here!

 

[DisneyFed]

I'll remember it as the day my life changed forever.

DF

 

[indimom]

Dear Terrorists,

It's just about morning on 9-11-10....and guess what, YOU DIDN"T WIN!

You attacked our city, but we rose up stronger than ever!

I stood at my window and watched those buildings smoke, and wondered what would become of all of us.

Nine years later, I'm headed off to take my daughter (who was born into a world where we have always been at war) to play and laugh with her friends while I do the same with mine.

We still smile, we still hope, we still dream!

You tried to blow our spirits out.....but they're stronger than ever!

Nine years later the sky is still as blue as I remember that morning in the city. The sun still shines and we're still here!

 

[minnie56]

I remember my husband was flying from New York to Sacramento that day as my DD and I watched Diane Sawyer reporting as the catastrophe unfolded behind her on the screen. I took my daughter to school and had a major meltdown until I heard from my husband some 7+ hours later......he was diverted to Atlanta and remained there for 4 days until he could get home.

My daughter now lives in Manahtten and never a time that I am there do I not remember that awful day and think of those souls lost

 

[dejr_8]

It reminds me that we are too complacent about our national security. We are at war and I know that can be an unpopular view.

 

[swanmom]

It reminds me of THAT phone call.

We live about 15 miles outside of NYC. When the extent of the catastrophe was apparent, our town decided to close the schools and allow kids to be home with their parents. I was the class mom who had to make the phone chain calls. When I called the ***'s house, the mom answered and said, in a barely understandable voice, "My husband's in there." No, he didn't make it. And no, that call will haunt me and I will never forget that day.

I sincerely hope that others will remember the spirit of unity and determination which followed this terrible tragedy. That's what we must remember.

 

[happygirl]

I still watch the replay of it all, It still shakes me up the same way it did 9 years ago. God bless the families of the victims of 9/11

 

[FergieTCat]

I ride the E train many mornings, and it still shows the last stop as the World Trade Center.

This year is very hard for me because of the timing of Rosh Hashanah. My nephew passed away unexpectedly in February, and the last time I saw him was last year at Rosh Hashanah. I just took a break from watching the 9/11 Memorial service because my heart can only handle so much right now.