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Writer's Block: 9/11
Sep. 11th, 2008 06:36 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]I was teaching. It was the second week of school, but the first day of pre-school for my brother and I had driven him to school that morning since he was attending pre-school in my building. He had played in my classroom before school and then I walked him across the hall and peeled him off me when he started crying.
I didn't know at first what had happened. Since I was teaching first grade at that time, I didn't have the television or radio on. I was doing circle time with my students when the kindergarten teacher came in and told me that the 7th/8th graders had been doing current events (watching CNN) and had seen the first plane hit. I remember feeling disbelief and thinking it was a hoax or a movie stunt. Then when we found out it was real, I remember frantically dialing my Gram, trying to find out if my uncle had gone into the city for work that day. All of the cell circuits were out through since we were so close to the City. The room mothers for some of the older grades were called in and they started the emergency chain; calling the parents and then the emergency contacts to dismiss the school. My brother came into my classroom and I sat him at my desk with a coloring book, then called first one mom and then the other to reassure them we were fine (my school was about 10 minutes from the harbor).
Once the school was dismissed, we made our way home--avoiding most of the major roads and then I remember watching CNN and seeing a replay of the Towers falling. I didn't watch for long though because Jon was so young and he just didn't understand. It was hours before I had reassurance that my uncle was fine (he had decided to stay home that day to spend time with his grandchildren) and then I found out my cousin had been sent into the City with his firefighting unit. I also found out a day or so later that a childhood friend had been working on the 82nd floor. In a freak turn of events, his boss had sent him out on an errand just five minutes before the first plane hit so he was just leaving the building when it happened.
I don't know how I feel about it now. It still hurts in a way and sometimes I still get that feeling of disbelief. I went into the City a few days after 9/11 and it was a shock not to see the Towers, (even now it seems weird not to see them on the skyline). I guess I'm kinda surprised that the day hasn't been made some sort of memorial. I know we always have a moment of silence in the schools I work in, but it doesn't seem enough. And it really bothers me that nothing has been done about replacing the buildings. I understand that they don't want to take away from what was there, but as far as I know there's not even a permanent memorial there. I can't face going to Ground Zero, but that's because I came so close to losing people I love and my heart goes out to all those who did lose someone.
I know how lucky I am.
I didn't know at first what had happened. Since I was teaching first grade at that time, I didn't have the television or radio on. I was doing circle time with my students when the kindergarten teacher came in and told me that the 7th/8th graders had been doing current events (watching CNN) and had seen the first plane hit. I remember feeling disbelief and thinking it was a hoax or a movie stunt. Then when we found out it was real, I remember frantically dialing my Gram, trying to find out if my uncle had gone into the city for work that day. All of the cell circuits were out through since we were so close to the City. The room mothers for some of the older grades were called in and they started the emergency chain; calling the parents and then the emergency contacts to dismiss the school. My brother came into my classroom and I sat him at my desk with a coloring book, then called first one mom and then the other to reassure them we were fine (my school was about 10 minutes from the harbor).
Once the school was dismissed, we made our way home--avoiding most of the major roads and then I remember watching CNN and seeing a replay of the Towers falling. I didn't watch for long though because Jon was so young and he just didn't understand. It was hours before I had reassurance that my uncle was fine (he had decided to stay home that day to spend time with his grandchildren) and then I found out my cousin had been sent into the City with his firefighting unit. I also found out a day or so later that a childhood friend had been working on the 82nd floor. In a freak turn of events, his boss had sent him out on an errand just five minutes before the first plane hit so he was just leaving the building when it happened.
I don't know how I feel about it now. It still hurts in a way and sometimes I still get that feeling of disbelief. I went into the City a few days after 9/11 and it was a shock not to see the Towers, (even now it seems weird not to see them on the skyline). I guess I'm kinda surprised that the day hasn't been made some sort of memorial. I know we always have a moment of silence in the schools I work in, but it doesn't seem enough. And it really bothers me that nothing has been done about replacing the buildings. I understand that they don't want to take away from what was there, but as far as I know there's not even a permanent memorial there. I can't face going to Ground Zero, but that's because I came so close to losing people I love and my heart goes out to all those who did lose someone.
I know how lucky I am.
