Always Remember

I know this is my blog about Disney, but I figured that I would take an entry to talk about September 11, 2001.

10 years ago today, I was in my 8th grade homeroom taking a standardized test. I went to school that morning not thinking that anything major would happen. I knew I had that test, and that is what I was worried about. I remember that my homeroom finished taking the test early, and my teacher took up our tests, and then informed us that while we were taking that test, a plane had hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center. This is when everyone thought it was just a horrible accident. I mean, how does a plane not see those towers? That's what we all were asking. As my teacher was telling us this, she was watching her computer screen. All of a sudden, she goes "Oh my God." Then she turned and looked at us, trying not to cry, and told us that a plane had just hit the South Tower. And that's when it dawned on all of us that this was no accident. We spent the rest of the day, going from class to class, watching the news and all of the events unfold. We saw the plane hit the Pentagon. We heard about the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. We spent that day watching these horrible events unfold and trying to make sense of what was happening. We were under attack, and the world that I knew on September 10, 2001, changed drastically forever on September 11.

10 years later, and I'm now sitting in my apartment in Orlando, getting ready for work, and watching the anniversary memorial on TV. I'm so incredibly thankful that I didn't lose anyone on September 11, 2001. I'm thankful that I was able to keep my sense of normal for the most part. And I'm thankful that the events of September 11, 2001, didn't keep me from being able to follow my dreams.

But my heart breaks for those who did lose people on that tragic day. Sitting here watching the memorial, hearing the names, seeing the ages of those who died, and hearing stories from the families of those we lost that day....it's making me tear up. But seeing our flag flying, seeing how everyone has come together, it makes me realize that this is a strong country.

And it makes me so proud to be an American.