"Grammy, Grammy! Look those planes are crashing into those buildings." As my little brother pointed at the television screen, I thought to myself, "This is just some stupid new action movie, I could care less about." Then the news anchor said, "This is live in New York City, we are coming to you with more news in a moment." My grandma's face, coming into the big room, with some hot coffee she had just made herself was frightened. Which in turn made me know something wasn't right. I finished getting ready for school, as if nothing had just happened. As I walked to school I could see many peoples faces as they were driving either wet from their tears or distraught. While at school they turned on all the Televisions, which they never do, so I became more panicked. The time was never important to me as a child, but for some reason everything was slowed: the clock, the teacher, the principals, adults, cars, and even lawn mowers. I could hear the lawn mowers going at school, until they stopped, and it must have been two hours that had gone by.
As I witnessed the one tower fall on the television my stomach went into my throat, a feeling I hadn't felt before. The the second tower fell, and all of a sudden my face was wet, soaked actually. I hadn't ever felt like this before, so to be able to explain it was not possible around 10-11 years of age. I think this may be the first connection I had with trauma. I could feel all those families sufferings, literally FEEL it. I may not have known it then, but I now know this is why I chose to be a social worker. Those events helped me feel raw emotions, I couldn't even explain. My empathy (not that I knew what that word meant), was hightened, and my soul was strengthened.
9/11 was a horrific event, one that should never be re-enacted. This day I will carry all the victims, in our boarders, and out side our boarders, of 9/11 past, present, and future in my heart. It is definitely a day I will with all my power never forget.
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