September 11, 2001 - Where I Was

I really wanted to write this while it was still Sept. 11. I finally had to go to a different browser to get Blogger to work for me. Sheesh! It's really struggling right now!

Where was I on Tuesday, September 11, 2001? I was in Lindon, UT. I went to school like any normal day. I was in 7th grade. I met up with my friend Ashley by her locker in E Hall by the lunch room at Oak Canyon Jr. High before school started. Our other friend, Jordan, was by us and told us that a plane had crashed into a building. I thought, Whoa! That's crazy.

I went to 1st Period: English with Mrs. Raby from Finland. There it was that I found out it was the World Trade Center (whatever that was) and that two planes had crashed and they had or were collapsed. Usually we just watch Channel 1 news at the end of the period, but this time, we watched the real news and did that the whole class period.

Other classes followed suite. Some still taught, but most just had the TV on instead.

I went home. I remember sitting on my bed and thinking, This is going to be big. If there was ever a time I needed to record my thoughts/feelings about something, I needed to do it today because this is something my posterity is always going to remember. I am going to want to be able to tell my posterity that I was there and this is how I felt. So I did. I wrote some feelings down. I think I said, "I think I'm supposed to cry, but I'm not sure. I feel like it, but I can't. I know this is big, though." Although now I think I am going to have to dig it up and read what it really says.

Anyway, days, weeks, months later, and pictures, videos, songs, specials are being posted everywhere about the event. Everyone is grateful for the firemen and policemen who gave their lives and time to come help dig out through the rubble. And you know what? I think they are true heroes. That is what I've always liked about the Batman movies. It was never the military or feds who had to come in and save the day. It was always just a fight between the villains and the policemen (with the help of the vigilante, of course). Sometimes those policemen are the unsung heroes. I am grateful for them.

I just read on KSL.com today that they have finally decided to put on their bike helmets and patrol the Provo River Trail. It's sad that we need this, yet I am so grateful they have decided to keep that trail safe. I knew that girl that got attacked. And now we can prevent that from happening.

Firemen and policemen do so much and sacrifice so much to do what they do. I have known people go through both programs, and they are not just anything to breeze on through. Firemen are even so nice as to come to our house at who-knows-what-a.m. and help fix our smoke detector.

Next time you see a policeman or fireman, thank them for what they do. So much goes on behind the scenes that we don't ever see. Thank them for all their hard work. Thank you. You keep our communities going.