My Reflections on September 11 -- 25 Years Later

 

 Photo by Julien DI MAJO on Unsplash

Today I thought I would pause for a few minutes to remember the tragedy of 9/11. It was 25 years ago today. My social media feeds are full of photos, memes and other remembrances. In the past I have shared my story. We all have a story...a memory of where we were when we heard and after. But today I want to focus on things after 2001. In fact, after 2011 when I shared my story. 

Powerful Latinx Novels for Hispanic Heritage Month

 Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

Hispanic Heritage Month ends Friday and I wanted to share two new Latinx books with you to help celebrate. One is a graphic memoir. The author was in middle school living in New York City when 9/11 occurred. The other is a young adult novel that deals with ethnicity as well as rape and more. We will start with Big Apple Diaries by Alyssa Bermudez. It is recommended for ages 8 to 12. 

United We Stand Strong -- Remembering 9/11

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Can you believe next month it will be 20 years since 9/11? It was a time when we were all so scared. And it wasn't just the United States but this act of terrorism affected most of the world. The planes destroyed a building that had in it people from all over the world working. People of different races, religions, and ages. Airplanes were not flying after that for quite awhile. And just about everyone who was alive then knows where they were when they heard. Yet something else happened after the attack. We as a country and society came together. We united and supported one another. We showed how strong we are together. Today I'm going to share a book for young kids sharing one of the ways we came together. It shares a story I personally did not know but am glad to have learned about it. The book is 30,000 Stitches: The Inspiring Story of the National 9/11 Flag by Amanda Davis and illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. It is recommended for ages 5-8.

The Ambassador of Nowhere Texas -- New Middle Grades Novel Set in 9/11 Era

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Can you believe this September it will be twenty years since 9/11? Life was so different twenty years ago. Many homes did not have a computer. Internet was dial up for the most part. And I am guessing you probably remember where you were when you heard the news of the planes going into the twin towers. I know I remember exactly. Do you remember the days after how quiet it was without any planes in the air? I remember looking at coworker as we heard planes flying above our school--it was in the airpath of the military planes. Living outside of Boston where the flights began meant many meaningful stories about that day as well as loss. Today I am sharing a new middle grade book that is set in the era of 9/11. It is The Ambassador of Nowhere Texas by Kimberly Willis Holt. I did not realize until today that it is the second book in a series. 

Patriot Day

Today I am going to just say a prayer and a thank you. Thirteen years ago a tragedy rocked our world. I remember that morning so well and still get chills thinking about it. Although I was not there or even near there and no one I knew personally was injured, the day changed my life. It is a memory I do not share with Hazel. I am thankful I do not have to yet. She is too young to understand--we are all too young to understand. So today I say thank you to all the emergency workers who risked their lives that day and every day and to their families. So thank you to our police officers, fire fighters, EMTs and to all who did something to help another. The blessing in such a tragedy is to see how as a country we step in and help and care. In our society where everyone seems to only look out for themselves, a tragedy like this unites us and puts us back into a place where it is about others. With that I offer this prayer on this sad day.

 

 "Wtc-2004-memorial".

Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

Dear God, Please help us move past the wars and fighting to find the peace we all want and You desire for us. Please be with all the families who lost someone during the horrific events eleven years ago. Provide them with your love and care and peace of knowing loved ones are with You now. Please watch over all the people who were injured that day--both physically and emotionally. Be with each one to help strengthen him/her. Please also, God, help the terrorists who caused these horrific events understand that this is not the way to get what they want. Please help them learn about your love and peace. Finally God, please watch over all the firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and armed forces who risk their lives every day for the safety of our country. Please bless America and all of your children. Amen.

Remembering and Praying

Note: All images today came from Patriot Icon.

So last night I was tired and did not feel like sitting at the computer, so I did not get my post ready. This morning I was trying to get Hazel to school with a bit of crying, but not too much. Then I ran to the gym to get my work-out in. While at the gym, I was watching the television (from the treadmill) and realized the date. Good Morning America was on and they were doing a moment of silence in remembrance. My mind went to twelve years ago as tears began to form in my eyes. It is a day I will never forget. I think it was the saddest and scariest day of my life. I then realized that the reason I did not want to post last night was because I needed to post my memories and a prayer today.

Twelve years ago my life was very different. I was teaching at Wellesley High School. Wellesley is a couple of towns away from Boston--literally there is one town between it and the start of the city. I had a prep period when the planes hit. I went to make copies for a class and one of the teachers I didn't really know mentioned something about it to me and it didn't sink in. I thought he was telling me a joke. Then the kids came to my room and they had been watching it on television in history class so I got the whole story. It was a sad and somber day. Then when no planes were suppose to be in the air over the United States, we hear planes flying overhead. Wellesley is in the airpath for the air force to get to Boston for the investigation. Hearing them sent chills and fears through us all. Then the stories came out of people who didn't go to their office in New York that day. (Yes, there are people who commute from Boston to New York often.) And the saddest one of the brothers who knew their father was on a flight to LA but not sure which one. Their mother called after the first plane to say he was not on that one. Then the flight he was on was lost, she came to school to get the boys so they could be together and when she walked into the office they announced the flight number of the second plane--his flight. Being so close to people involved really makes it even more sad and real for me. Although I was not personally involved and did not lose a loved one, I felt and still feel the pain and sadness. I knew the world for me changed that day.

In memory of that day, I would like to offer a prayer. I hope you will pray with me.

Dear God, please watch over the survivors of the tragedy that occurred twelve years ago as well as the loved ones of those we lost. May we always remember those we lost and how we worked together to help others survive and get through this horrible time. Please help us find a way to live in peace with one another and to end this violence that is still happening throughout the world. Please help us to learn to be compassionate and understanding to those who are different and let us find a way for us all to feel your love and peace. Amen.

Sad Day, Sad Memories

Ten years ago was one of the saddest days in my life. It is hard to forget as an American the terror that we all felt. I remember where I was the first time I heard about the plane going into the first of the twin towers. I was teaching then and had a prep period. I went down to the photocopier and was told by one of the teachers I didn't know well that a plane had just flown into the World Trade Center. It didn't sink in what he was telling me. I guess I was focused on my preparations for my first class of the day. I thought he was trying to tell me some joke or something. Then when my students started arriving they told me they had been in history and saw it on television. Apparently once the history department found out about it they all turned on the televisions so the kids could see history being made. Then the stories began and our lives changed. There was no going back to our more innocent time.

We all heard the stories. Being so close to Boston I heard many. I think the scariest part of the day for me was in the afternoon when I was sitting in another teacher's classroom working together and we heard a plane overhead. By this time we knew all planes were grounded so to hear one was a bit scary.  Our school was in the flight pattern for the military planes flying to Boston since that was where the flights orginated from.

Then there were the stories of students' parents one whose father worked in New York or at the Pentagon, but for some reason that day decided to work from home. Or the poor kids whose father was booked on both flights and the mother got word to her son through the school that he was not on the first flight and at the time we did not know the flight number of the second plane. She came to school to pick up her sons since the father's flight was missing and when she walked into the front office she saw the television that the office was watching announce the second flight number being the one her husband was on.  I know I have gotten chills all days remembering these stories. The sadness, hurt, and scared comes back.

As a mother of a toddler, I am not watching the news and all the remembrances. We try not to let her watch much television at all and certainly not the news or adult topics. Occasionally we will let her watch Sesame Street (she loves Elmo), Caillou, or Curious George, but that is it. And I have to say, Steve and his mother are usually the ones that have her watch it. I only do it if she is sick and needs to rest or I'm sick and need to rest. So I am not being overexposed to it all again like I was in 2001. 

This morning we went to church. The service was really dedicated to remembering. I feel that was my way of remembering. I know our minister is helping with a townwide remembrance service later today, but we will not attend it. I do not want to expose Hazel to the ugly part of our world. The sermon today was on hope in the middle of disaster and terror. I want to focus on the hope in her life. There will be plenty of time for the bad and ugly when she is older. Don't you agree?

A few months ago, we heard the news of Bin Laden's death. People were celebrating. I know I was happy that he was no longer a threat, but I immediately felt guilty to be happy that someone was dead. Doesn't celebrating a death in that way make us as bad as them? Though I guess for many it was more the relief that the threat he posed was gone, but the truth is there are others to take his place. How does this end? I only know that I can pray for a happy ending and for peace and treat others with respect and kindness.

So I'm ending this post with prayers and thoughts of love and support for all the people who lost a loved one on September 11, 2001, all the people affected by the acts of terrorism and for my country. Please God bless all of us, all who are still grieving, America, and everyone who is reading this today.

Some other sites to check out in remembrance:

1) My Computer is My Canvas Free Printable of 1 Nation Under God

2) Less Cake More Frosting Free Printable

3) Ellie Inspired We Remember Inspiring pictures and bible quote
4) A Creative Princess Thought provoking picture
5) Lynnfield Remember 9/11 Photos of the 9/11 Remembrance in Lynnfield, MA (this is the town my church is in and they started last week with flags on the Common for each live lost) It is powerful to see in person