10 Years Ago Today...

Ten years ago we all know what happened. Terror and tragedy hit this country like never before. The world changed more than any of us will ever know on that day. It is a day that my family and I will never, ever forget.
Steve and I had just moved into our home a month before. It was a big move for us since I was still suffering from my back injury and the money for the house had come from the insurance settlement. We had just finished decorating the house, buying furniture, unpacking the boxes and had finally settled into a routine.
That morning Steve was getting ready for a late morning appointment. I was very sick and had a doctor's appointment later that morning. So we were late getting our day started. Steve turned on the TV and hollered at me to come quickly. The first plane had just hit. Just after I walked into the room and began to understand what was happening the second plane hit. Like everyone else, we were just horrified! We watched the events unfold and prayed. We had no idea what was yet to come.
Later when the plane hit the Pentagon and the other plane crashed in Pennsylvania, I began to panic. You see I come from the suburbs of Washington, DC. And my family still lived in that area. I had lots of friends who lived there. And the information coming over the radios and televisions that day wasn't always correct. I remember sitting in the waiting room of the doctor's office hearing a news report and almost falling out of my seat as it suddenly dawned on me how close this tragedy had come to my family!
The plane that crashed into the Pentagon had gone over my parents' house, over the place where my mother worked at the time, and also over the place where my father worked just a mile away. When I finally was able to talk to my Dad late in that day he told me the story of how they'd heard about the events in New York. They were working away when they suddenly heard a plane flying VERY low over them. They were used to planes coming somewhat close being in the flight path for Regan National. But this one was way TOO low. The building actually rumbled! And then they felt the ground shudder. And then the smoke started rising and they knew a plane had crashed. It wasn't long before they found out what had really happened. My dad was quite shaken up but was okay. Thank God.
Thankfully my husband's two cousins who worked at the Pentagon were elsewhere that day. Thankfully my daughter's father wasn't there either. The meeting had been rescheduled. Thankfully my cousins and my aunt weren't there either. And neither were any of my friends. Thank God.
Our then son-in-law signed up to go into the Navy. He and my daughter were sent to Chicago but couldn't take their 2 dogs with them. So they came here first and we took the dogs. Later the Anthrax stuff started happening in Boca Raton which is the city just north of us. And that was JUST as scary for us! No one around here wanted to open their mailboxes for fear that the dreaded white powder would be in it. Then they realized that Atta and a few of his fellows had lived just a couple of miles from our home.
One night Steve and I were driving home and had taken the road next to the beach and were trying to have a relaxing evening. Suddenly the traffic slowed to a crawl and as we passed by a two-story hotel we saw a most unnerving sight. There were police and official cars everywhere. There were lights on in the building and outside floodlights had been brought in. And there were people in those white environmental suits everywhere. This was where Atta had been staying right before they left to fly their planes. And there were local news reports that several pharmacists who reported these men who had a rash that was remarkably similar to the Anthrax rash..... That's when things got really scary for me. I know that the major media coverage downplayed this part, but it became quite clear in this area that the Anthrax had come from these terrorists as well. And they had lived very close to us! We could have been in the grocery store together. We could have walked along the beach at the same time. It was just way too scary for thought!
Living in an area that is full of snowbirds from New York, this area pretty much just shut down. It was a tough time mentally, financially and in many other ways. No one wanted to do anything public or fun. But after about 6 weeks people started to venture out and eventually everything returned to normal. It was scary how quickly people forgot. It didn't take very long.
I have to say that even 10 years later it is STILL too scary for thought! Thankfully our now ex-son-in-law who was sent out on the very first mission after 9/11 came home safe and sound. And none of the Marines who were on their ship were lost either. We were truly blessed! I was subsequently miraculously healed from my back injury and we now have four grandchildren! Life has continued and is good.
But we must never, ever let our guards down. This could happen again tomorrow. It could happen anywhere at any time. It happens in many countries all over the world every day. We are not safe. We are blessed to not have had another attack. But we must remain vigilant. And we must NEVER forget!!!