Little did we know that September 11, 2001 was going to be a day like no other day in American history. Early risers had nothing to warn them of what was about to happen in the early morning hours of that Tuesday morning.
I was sleeping a little late that morning. My husband was in the computer room and had the television on watching Fox News. He immediately came and woke me up when the plane hit the first tower. I got up and went to the television. Our first impression was that it was an accident, but the next few minutes we found out it was a terrorist attack. When the second plane hit the second tower, it was just too surreal! The emotions were all over the range; this could not be happening in America. Yet, there we were watching live television, the towers crumbling, smoke filling the downtown area, and people running for their lives.
Our eyes stayed glued to the television for the entire day. We did not realize that the tragedy had just begun. We new the nation was under attack, but we didn't realize just how bad things were going to get before the end of the day. Nor, did we know how many lives would be lost. The people behind the attacks were dead set on destroying as much of the United States as they could. And, they never gave a thought to how many lives they were destroying. In fact, I am sure they did not care. Their satisfaction was born out of pure hatred for our way of life and the freedoms we have here in America.
One event after another began to happen. First the Twin Towers were hit and began crumbling, and then the Pentagon was hit by the third plane. The nation was expecting a hit on the White House as well. But the fourth plane was deterred by some very brave citizens that did not want to see others killed by these terrorists. They took matters into their own hands. They began to call relatives to let them know what was happening and they would not be coming home. They sacrificed their lives to save thousands of others that may have been killed had the plane been able to make it's way to it's destination in Washington, D.C. Instead, they caused the plane to go down in a field in Pennsylvania.
The death of all those thousands of people on that day left many grieving relatives behind - spouses, children, parents, friends. And it still has to be a terrible thing to remember, knowing those loved ones had no chance to survive such a terrible tragedy. Little did they know that morning, as they arrived for work, that their lives would be in jeopardy in just a matter of minutes. The passengers boarding those other two planes had no idea that they would not arrive at their respective destinations, and that their lives were hanging in the balance when they sat down in their seats.
As we go forward after this ninth year after this terrible tragedy, I pray that this country never has to undergo another day like that day in our history. But we have to be extremely cautious in the way we look at our every day actions, knowing that the enemy is right ready to hit us again. It doesn't matter that we have done nothing to cause the attacks other than being a freedom-loving country. May GOD keep us safe from more terrorists attacks.
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