Let’s Raise the Flag

Since September 11th 2001 I have changed Jobs, I have changed cars, I have changed houses, I have even changed husbands but the one thing that hasn't changed is how I feel on the night of September 10th. You see because of what happen the next day I can't forget what happened the night before. It is the reason I drove to work on September 11th with no idea America and the freedoms we enjoy had been attacked. The sad fact is nothing remarkable actually happened at all that night but because of the next morning I am stuck with the memory of a totally insignificant evening.

It was September 10th, 2001. I worked late at my job at the radio station I worked for at the time. I owned a green chevy truck which I won't forget because I was driving it when I heard the news, I lived in the Southside of Poughkeepsie and the short of iit is life was very different than it is today but this night before always seems to be so clear.

On that evening we had a storm that came through the Hudson Valley. It took out the power which rarely happened where I lived in Poughkeepsie. It also happen to take out the cable. The night of the 10th was uneventful other than the storm. Eventually the power was restored but the cable stayed off. So no TV I went to bed early.

When I woke up on the morning of the 11th, the power was on but the cable was still out so I made coffee and instead of watching morning news I headed into the office early. That meant I was in my truck earlier than normal and hearing the news on the first news of the morning on my way to work. That cable outage was the reason I found out about the events of 9/11 on my way to work instead of in my living room. After that it really becomes a blur. Things got so busy and crazy at work the next few days just blended together.

My next clear memory which still unfolds today comes into focus when I meet up with the first person I knew who lost someone at the twin towers. It was their father who was a first responder that day at the World Trade Center. Since that day 18 years ago I have continued to know and meet people whose lives have been changed by that frightful horrible day.

I think the saddest thing is that the events of that day continue to shape lives to this day. We can forget not just because of the people we lost on 9/11 but because of the people who are living with conditions directly related to their exposure to Ground Zero. We will remember the dear lives that were lost that day and we must continue to support the folks who are now affected because they were there helping and searching and now have to live with the after effects of their bravery.

I will end this blog with Alan Jackson and I will leave you with one more memory from 18 years ago. The American flag flew everywhere proudly all over our country after that horrible day. If you have a flag maybe find it and hoist it again with the pride of being an American and in honor of those who can't because their lives were cut short on September 11th 2001.