I REMEMBER 9-11

It was a gorgeous fall day, a lot like it is today. I was living in Bedford-working as a buyer for a furniture store and working part time at Chili's-still single but had been dating Jeff for 9 months. I woke up a little late b/c I did not have to be at work until 9:30 or 10 that morning. It felt great to get a few minutes of extra sleep. My alarm clock went off at 7:30-I hit snooze a few times. I was listening to KLTY our local Christian radio program-I am a firm believer in starting your day off with praise. Frank Reed stopped a song to ask us to pray for the people in the World Trade Center-the North tower had just been struck by an airplane. If you remember no one, yet was talking about this being a terrorist attack. I rose to the side of my bed and began to pray. "Lord, not sure what is going on but please protect the people in the World Trade Center." I got into the shower-began getting dressed. My mom also worked at the furniture store so I had an urgent need to get into work. Plus a co-worker of ours father was retired FBI-I knew he would know a little more details and I was curious to know what was happening. I was not scared mind you-this just seemed like a freak accident to me.

I walked into the store about the same time that the second plane hit the south tower. The image above is the scene I saw on the screen. I still have a hard time getting this one out of my head. The rest of the morning was spent glued to the television screen. In the entertainment room, surrounded by wide screen televisions we sat watching the rest of the story unfold. They started to show people falling out of the building-I guess I should say jumping out of the buildings. They showed people screaming from the top floors for someone to help them. Why the media showed us these images is still beyond me? But I am thankful-because I felt more connected to the gravity of the situation. I continued to pray for these people who were on my screen.

Then the towers fell! "Mom! Did everyone get out?!" My ex-military-son of retired FBI-gently told me that no everyone did not get out there was not any time. I cried! We closed early-or atleast I left early-not sure which just new I came home and wrote in my prayer journal. Still have it-will pull out and post my prayer.

Fast forward to a few days later-Mom and I are sitting at DFW airport about to go to a furniture market in Atlanta, GA. We were the first flight to leave DFW airport. There were only 8 of us on board, we all sat in first-class so that the weight would all be up front. Fear was in the eyes of every passenger and flight crew. The 8 of us bonded that flight. Most flights you go about your business and ignore the person next to you. For that brief time, we were the best of friends. Some had been stuck in Dallas for days and were trying to get home-Mom and I were the only ones going on business. Ended up that the show was cancelled the day we arrived so we spent the next few days touring Atlanta. Came home from our trip, Jeff picked us up at the airport and he was not happy with me for taking off. In fact, if you ask him if he likes Atlanta, GA-he says, "Hell no! That is the day I almost broke up with Susan for taking the trip so soon after 9-11."

How I have changed since 9-11:
1. I pray more for our country
2. I watch the news religiously-I was never into politics before 9-11
3. I cherish my family and the time that we get to spend together

How has it changed you? I am curious to hear your remarks