September 11, Remembered

It's hard for me to believe that September 11, 2001, was two decades ago. I still choke up every time I see pictures from that day. I remember September 11, 2001, like it happened yesterday. I was in military training as a sergeant in Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. This was administrative training, not combat training, so the atmosphere was light-hearted and fun. Our sergeant major walked into our class every morning with the latest "dad joke" of the day and always had a smile on his face.

On September 11, 2001, I was in my morning classroom chatting with my classmates when the sergeant major walked in. Immediately I knew something was wrong- his smile was gone, and he looked like saw a car accident. He told our trainer to turn on the TV, and I saw the second airplane hit the World Trade Center.  Initially, I thought it was a commercial for an upcoming movie. As I watched, it slowly sunk in that this was real. My heart stopped, and I cannot begin to describe grief overcame me.

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, with the World Trade Centers as my backdrop. My most memorable daddy-daughter event was at the top of the World Trade Center. My first boyfriend and I favorite hangout was the World Trade Center. My first corporate job was across the street from the World Trade Center. Every time I traveled to Manhattan, the train I took traveled underneath the World Trade Centers. For me, the World Trade Centers represented home.

When I saw the towers coming down, I did not just see the towers coming down, I saw the thousands of lives dying inside the buildings. It felt like watching your home burn down. I started panicking because I knew I had friends and family that worked in and near the towers. Thankfully someone at my training post knew which of us may be directly impacted by this horrific event and allowed all of us to call our families. The first few times I tried, we all got busy signals. Eventually, we were all able to reach our families. Everyone in my family was fine. Just as I sighed in relief, I heard sobs behind me from some of my classmates who found out their family members, friends, or co-workers did not survive. 

I, like the rest of the nation, cried. It was a collective cry of sorrow. We also saw the bravery and sacrifice of our fighter fighters, police, and countless people who gave their lives to help others. 

Unfortunately, this also brought about pain for my Persian friends and others who suffered underserved hatred as a backlash of September 11. They were treated as if they were personally responsible for September 11. My Persian friends cried and grieved alongside me. They, too, lost relatives, friends, and co-workers.  

I pray we never forget September 11 and the lives lost.  I pray in the season we are in now, we channel our heartache in love, not the hatred I see on social media.  I pray we remember and proclaim this season as a season of unity for ALL.