So each year I have my juniors read an article and we talk about 9/11. This year I am adding another article. The new article talks about how during the first few years after the attacks, we commemorated the anniversary in honorable ways and it was seen as a rallying point. But with each year that passes, the anniversary seems to have less and less meaning. The article compares it to Memorial Day or Pearl Harbor Day. There is the fear that the day will become just another day, or worse yet, a day for family picnics. Not going to lie. That makes me sad. And as I talked to colleagues this morning, we realized it was kind of true. 9-11 is now history. I suppose my feelings are the same as those who remember clearly Pearl Harbor or Kennedy's assassination. That is why we must keep teaching about 9-11. Only through our stories will the next generation know the impact that day had on us all.
So here is my story...
I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news. In our old building, on second floor, Mrs. Shimon, Mr. Youngberg, Mr. Magill, Mr. Smith and I were in the hallway by the computer lab between classes. Mr. Francis walked by and we asked him how he was. "Better than those people in New York," he said. We looked at him and asked what was going on there. He then told us about the attacks on the Twin Towers. Of course we all went to our rooms and looked on the Internet. As the morning proceeded, classes were gathered around TV's watching...in silence. The horrifying images. The live broadcast of people jumping to their deaths. The unbelievable scene of a second airplane hitting. Watching, knowing what was happening, but knowing no one could stop it. And then the horrifying reality when the Towers crashed. Rooms full of students and teachers watching in silence, in disbelief, in horror.
My own children were quite young, Melanie was in kindergarten and Lynette was only one. We tried to go through the evening as normally as we could. Melanie, though, was old enough to know something was going on. The TV was on at home, and of course all that was shown were the attacks and images of Osama Bin Laden. Melanie asked why they kept showing Jesus on TV. Ironic, right?
As we went outside to play (to get away from the TV), churches in town were having prayer services. The church bells were tolling and Melanie asked why. I told her a lot of people had died and tried to explain a little how. She then said, "Can we say a prayer for all those people and their families, mom?"
"Yes, Melanie. Yes we can." And we did.
The following day in school I could barely teach. I just remember standing in front of the class and that I broke out in tears if I tried talking about what had happened. It was so horrific. Words can't even describe how gut wrenching it was to watch people mourn the loss of their loved ones, or worse yet desperately plea for some information if they were dead or alive; hanging on the the little hope there was.
A few days later, Melanie again brought me to silence. (I'm rather thankful Lynette was only a baby during this). After school one day, in my classroom, she drew on my whiteboard, as she often did. I so wish I had taken a picture of it. She drew a picture of a city...tall buildings. She also drew two airplanes flying into the buildings and smoke and fire coming from the buildings. On the ground below, she drew stick people lying down. Their faces had frowns and X's as eyes. When I asked her about them, she said it was because they were dead. Wow. Silence. How perceptive from a 5 year old.
The year after 9-11 the Fort Dodge Messenger had an article that I read and kept. I get it out every year on 9-11. This is the other article I will have my class read. It is an interview with Sgt. Kelly Hindman of the Iowa State Patrol, who went to New York in the spring of 2001 to counsel. His article really hit me. It basically talks about how the day we should remember is September 12, 2001...the day when we loved more, criticized less, and felt an indescribable amount of national pride.
The police officers and firefighters were heroes. Do we still feel that way today? There were no political differences. Do we still feel that way today? Petty issues at work were no longer important. Neighbors were our friends. We hugged our families more and showed more patience to our children. Are we still there?
So on this 9-11, I ask us all to remember. Not only the tragic events of the that day 14 years ago, but of how we felt the day after. Let's love one another more. Let's come together as Americans. We can stand together and make this country...this world... a better place.