September 11, 2001 - Where Were You?
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September 11
An original poem by PegCole17
The clock I bought is slowing down
It came without a key
And when I hear its slowing chimes
The bell it tolls for me.
For I'm awake and still in shock
From what has come to be.
And here I sit and hear the clock
A quarter 'til, now three.
The falling of the Mighty Twins
Our lives forever changed
The clock ticks on, I hear the chime
Our lives now rearranged.
Our family feuds within, it's said
A family once divided
Lord help the stranger steppin' on
Our Nation now United.
© PCole 2001
Where were you when you heard the news about September 11? Most people can clearly remember exactly where they were, what they were doing, how they felt and how they found out about the tragic events of 9 Eleven 2001 that left so many of our lives forever changed.
During the days that followed the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon by our own airplanes made into bombs, patriotism was jacked up to a higher level than I had ever seen before in the United States.
The enthusiastic vow of "We will never forget" was heard everywhere on TV, seen on billboards and even written in white shoe polish on the windows of cars. American Flags flew from car antennas and from buildings and homes all over the country.
In the days that followed this devastating news, like so many others, I experienced sleeplessness, uncertainty, fear, and a sense that irreversible change had come to our country. Things I never could have imagined had actually happened in the United States.
The morning of September 11th, I was running late for work. Normally, I would already be signed in and working from my home office with a cup of coffee in hand. It was one of the best features of telecommuting, no commute. But not today. There was a required attendance Project Management seminar held at Corporate this week. To be on time, I needed to leave the house by 7:15 am to make the hour and a half drive to the new complex.
Halfway to the campus, traffic came to a complete standstill. Frustrated, and running late, I turned off the highway and took the side streets. Later, I would recall driving past a copper-topped building on my unfamiliar route, an enormous mosque. I was taken aback by the incredible size of the structure nestled quietly in this suburban neighborhood.
Just a few minutes before 9:00 am, I reached the front entrance to the building having parked in the remote employee's lot. At the security checkpoint in the building, I swiped my employee badge through the scanner and was immediately drawn to a crowd hovering around the TV set in the lobby. People stood in absolute silence staring at the images on the screen.
This material was written by PegCole17 who retains all rights to publication. If you are reading this on any site other than HubPages then this material has been copied without my permission and is a violation of copyright law. I would appreciate if you would contact me at pegcole17.hubpages.com to report any misuse.
Beyonce singing The Star Spangled Banner
In stunned shock, I took a seat in the conference room of the seminar which was just moments from starting. Turning to my neighbor, I relayed the news to him that the World Trade Center Tower had collapsed. The blood drained from his face and he immediately stood up and ran from the room. Although we were located in Dallas, his family still remained in New York following his recent transfer to our Project Management group.
The seminar began right on time with the droning voice of the presenter who chose to ignore events playing out around us in the world and continued to lecture in stoic "Death by Power Point" fashion. Here we sat in this stifling room while all Hell was breaking loose in the World as we all scrolled through our mental lists of people who lived in the Northeast. It was all I could do to keep from screaming out - Don't you realize what's happened to our country?
Over the next few days I was glued to the television which focused on nothing besides the horrific tragedy, replaying the nightmarish events over and over again. In quiet moments when I could turn it off, I pondered the fates of those whose family members had been taken in the attack; whether they had kissed their loved ones good bye that morning before leaving for work; whether they had parted on a happy note; what had each of them been doing those last few moments and I thanked God that my family had remained intact.
And I prayed. Like many people, in times of great despair who turn to their Creator, I prayed that our leaders would choose the right response to this attack and that His hand would guide us, guard us and keep us safe. I prayed for the families of those who were missing and prayed for those who lost loved ones. I prayed for the safety of our troops and prayed continuously for peace in our World. I think many of us prayed more than usual during those days of fear and uncertainty.
And what stands out most for me from that tragic time was the camaraderie we then felt for each other as citizens of this country. We moved and felt as one for that brief moment in time when as a country, we experienced this devastating loss of so many and so much. I recall how we pulled together to lift one another up.
Each of us maintains our own recollection of memories from that day that We will never forget. The passage of time may have dulled our sense of outrage, pushed aside in light of fresher losses, but it remains foremost in the hearts of many.
God Bless America!
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I remember exactly what I was up to that day. And I remember walking into work and the grim silence of what was normally a very noisy place. I never listen to the radio on the way to work , it is like my meditative period so I had no Idea the first plane had hit the north tower. And when I found out I was speechless. I walked around dumbfounded and kind of in shock for a couple of days and like everyone else was watching the coverage 24/7. It is still very fresh in my mind.My friend lost his Mother , she was in the plane that hit the south tower.
And I am amazed that so many Americans have such short memories of this that they would think it is OK to build a mosque in close proximity to that place. Another thing I remember was and you touched on it was after 9/11 for at least a week there were no liberals and conservatives no Dems and Republicans and no ethnicities for at least that week there were only Americans and it is the last time I can remember us being truly united. We are now on the other end of the spectrum. And that to me is sad !
DiamondRN - Thanks for telling us what was going on at that moment in your life. Yes, the news got so much worse. I'm glad you stopped by.
Tony0724 - Thanks for telling us your experience that day. I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's Mother. Very sad.
My radio was off, too. I had no idea what was happening until I got to work. Yes, the grim silence of stunned people, "dumbfounded and kind of in shock". Exactly.
I'm also amazed we have such a short attention span that we would Ever forget. Those responsible for this attack will NEVER forget. They lie in wait for us to become lax.
Like you said, no Dems and Republicans, no name calling, no race issues, we were Americans for a time. We need to be United again to remain strong.
Deepest and sincere condolences to all those who lost loved ones that day
I remember that I was watching Christian television when my brother called and told me that the World Trade Center towers had been attacked and had collapsed. I didn't believe it at first but then I changed my television channel and saw the devastation. I was angry with the Christian station for being so insensitive to continue with regular programming and not even sending a ticker tape across the bottom of the screen telling about the disaster. Like the rest of America I spent the next several days glued to the television. That first night when I went to bed, I was at first afraid but then I realized that where I lived, was about the safest place to live. I then prayed for the people who were still in potential danger and to the ones who lost loved ones.
I was in my kennels, in Cheadle Alberta (20 minutes outside of Calgary.) I had a large number of dogs staying with me, including two Labradors who worked for the RCMP -- their handler, a friend of mine, being away. I was busy doing the morning chores of the kennel, and had no radio out there. So, I had no idea of what had happened.
Then the police officer showed up to get his dogs; they were needed at the Calgary International Airport -- all security personnel and all trained dogs had been called in. All those flights still in the air following the attack had to land somewhere ... and many of them landed in Calgary. Over a hundred unscheduled flights in an hour -- with no idea of what or who was on board.
All across Canada, airports scrambled to get the flights stranded in the air -- all U.S. airports having been closed -- down safely, regardless of the risks.
My first glimpse of the news was the shot of the second plane colliding with the second tower.
By afternoon, the Calgary airport looked like a parking lot with planes from airlines that normally never landed in Calgary lined up across the tarmac.
Also by afternoon, blood donations were in full swing, and 'help centers' set up for those wanting to donate items, money, etc to help those affected.
Like Americans, Canadians sat in shock, wondering what next, wondering what we'd brought into our country on those planes, and what we could do to help.
Search and rescue teams mobilized ready to go to New York to help once travel across the border was possible.
Some of us felt a little hurt by GW's first comment -- 'they probably came in through Canada' and his second 'we don't need outside help; we'll handle it ourselves.'
It didn't deter our efforts to help our neighbors. The blood was amassed in trucks on the border across from Plattsburg New York and eventually made it to their destination, as did the search and rescue teams -- and the donations.
All those people who found themselves unexpectedly in Canada were taken care of. One of our favorite stories was the flight from Europe all expecting to go to Vegas and ending up in Gander, Newfoundland instead. They had so much fun, they staged a reunion there the next year.
I guess the whole point to this rambling comment is to say, you were not, are not, have never been alone in the world. Lynda
Psychicdog.net - Absolutely right. My deepest condolences to those who lost loved ones and friends in this tragedy.
Cygnetbrown - Yes, complete disbelief. For the first few minutes I thought the video of the plane flying into the tower was just an ad for some new movie, but as the messages across the bottom of the screen revealed, it was no joke.
I guess the news broadcasters were in a state of shock that day too. That station you were watching may have been automated or pre-recorded. Still, someone at the station had to be keeping up with current events.
I also wondered if my city or state would be the next target. I'm glad you both remained out of the worst of danger. Thank you for sharing your experiences on 9-11.
Lynda - It's good to hear from someone outside the boundaries of the US at the time. I wondered how people from other countries felt about the situation and how 9-11 affected them.
Thanks so much for telling us about the impact this event had on you and your area. I hadn't considered the issue of where the other inbound flights would have to land when our airports shut down.
As far as GWB's comments, well umm, let's just say that he didn't express those sentiments very well. Texans seem to have an exaggerated sense of independence. It was also our first reaction to the recent oil spill disaster "we don't need outside help".
Thanks so much to the folks in Canada who stepped up and rendered aid, assistance and compassion.
Your comments are truly welcomed and appreciated and always lend a new perspective to issues. Thanks, Lynda.
I was in total shock as I watched this tragic event on television. My neighbor across the street ran over to me and we both hugged one another and cried.Thank you for your wonderful hub. We must never forget.
I remember that day as if it were yesterday. I was at work in a financial services firm. I remember hearing a telephone ring. The woman sitting in next cubicle began to scream OMG, where is the radio, please put it on. One by one, radios which were not allowed by our company, came out. Slowly we absorbed the news. I was shaking and wanted to go home. My boss wanted us to move funds as fast as possible before the Federal Reserve closed down. The three of us were finally finished with our work and we could go home. Once home, the enormity of it all, as I knew it then, was too much. Home was no longer safe.
Pegcole17 - thank you for that poignant and so sensitively written hub and for the truly excellent and captivating poem - yes I remember too where I was that day - I was in England driving back from work (we are 5 hrs ahead of Manhattan)and spent the next few hours simply watching the TV- yes it was a shocking yet in many ways seminal series of moments and the world will not be the same again.
Thank you again for your profound writing expressing so well how so many felt.
Vocalcoach - Yes, a feeling of love for our neighbors at that moment, a sense of closeness and oneness as Americans, connected by a tremendous loss. I find it deeply touching that in times of disaster we're able to embrace nearby strangers without a thought for their ethnic origins or beliefs.
Thanks for sharing your experiences of 9-11.
Jean O - I've worked in financial organizations where radios and other fun equipment wasn't allowed. We all had ours stuffed away out of site too. The way you described how the radios came out of hiding and the news began to filter throughout your workplace. . . I can picture how it must have been for you that day.
You are not alone in the feeling that home was no longer safe.
Thanks for telling us your about your experience on 9 Eleven 2001.
amorea13, Hello and welcome. Thank you for the kind words and having read your profile, I'm honored to have you here.
You're the first to comment on the poem - thanks so much, really. I loved your poem on the 9-11 Victim Hub. Interesting when you look at things from that perspective.
Thanks for bringing a new consideration into play with the change in time zones. Yes, you would be returning home instead of going to work. Facing that news over the dinner table without the time to digest it before entering a world of distorted sleep.
It is truly nice to meet you here on HubPages. Thanks for dropping in today and sharing your thoughts.
9/11/01 was my 40th b-day and my dad called from western PA (he lives about 25 miles from Flight 93's crash) asking if I had seen the television. I was getting ready to walk out the door and said and first thought he was joking. But then I turned on the television and watched like everyone else.
Thank you for publishing this outstanding Hub. I was at work that day and immediately knew it was the work of terrorists. I was in the aviation business and had much knowledge about air traffic control—it had to be intentional.
Don - I'm sure you'll never forget that momentous day, your 40th birthday. It was incomprehensible that the events were real and not a joke. We were all stunned and glued to the TV for days.
James, Thanks for dropping in. I'm honored to have you here. Yes, the aviation business would have been impacted tremendously from every angle. I'm sure you know this more so than others.
I remember living in Vero Beach where there was a Piper Training Facility nearby. Some of my apartment neighbors were aviation students there; many were from the Middle East and other countries. I wondered at the time who exactly were we training to fly planes. That was a long time ago in the 70s.
You are welcome. I have been to that Vero Beach training center. It was called Sun something, right?
Yes, James. You're right about that. Very small town, not too much else going on. Lovely place to live. Mostly banks and pubs. I worked at both.
Hello Pegcole17, Firstly I would like to say how wonderful all the emergency workers were on that disastrous day and later.
I feel somewhat of an intruder reading all these emotional comments on that dreadful and cruel day as I live in u.k.(france just now for a while)
I was in my antique shop in south liverpool it was a very quiet day. There was just one person in the shop it was a young girl about 20 and we were talking about old Irish postcards. I had just asked her where she came from ,realised she was American, I was then listening to the local phone- in radio station when I heard the tone change-the terrible news came -she didn't hear it and I called her over ! We just stared at each other in a numbed shock..... A year later I was selling my business ! It was unbelievable the way trade had vanished. I was aware somebody was still in the shop as I was ready to close ! It was my young American friend it was like she had to be there a year on ! I hope she is well wherever she is now as her studies in Liverpool will be well finished.
best from jandee
Sorry I didn't mention your very moving poem, excellent,jandee
Hello Jandee - No, please do not feel as if you're intruding. We are all in this world together and that's the only place we have to live at the moment. So what happens to us here happens to all of us.
For a short time I owned an antique shop that I opened only on Saturdays while working full time elsewhere. I must have recognized you as a kindred spirit when I saw your first article. Sorry to hear your traffic slowed and you had to sell. I still miss mine too. And the customers became like friends who'd drop in for coffee and a chat.
Thanks so much for dropping in to share your experiences on that dreadful day. It's awesome to see how so many were touched by the event. And thanks for the warm words about the poem.
Kind regards, Peg
I'm not an American but our country deeply sympathized what happened that time. I was in school that time, we were having our first class and our teacher told us about what she heard from the news. As far as I remember, my teacher was crying while she's sharing the news. At that time, our school suspended a 30 minutes class to give prayers for the victims and for peace in the US and the whole world.
Michelle ! Thank you, your class and your teacher for the prayers you spoke that day. What a way for our small world to come together: as people on the same planet. Yes, "prayers for the victims and for peace in the US and the whole world." Thank you so much, neighbor. Love and peace.
Very interesting Hub, Peg, and I thank you for it. I had flown down to Cape Town on a business trip and immediately after landing went to the car hire place to pick up my hired car and they had a TV tuned to a news channel - might have been CNN, not sure. I saw the visuals of the two planes going into the towers and thought it was a movie. Obviously realised pretty soon it was not.
Then that night in the hotel room I could not switch the TV off - I was just spellbound by the fascination and horror of it all.
Thanks again for sharing this.
Love and peace
Tony
Hi Tony - It was like a bad movie. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it the first time. Our TV stayed on non stop until we couldn't take it anymore. We were all stunned by the news.
Now we're hearing about looting at the Pyramids and vandalism of 3000 year old artifacts. How dreadfully sad.
Thank you for sharing your experience and love and peace to you too. Peg
I had just gotten out of the shower when my husband called and told me to turn on the TV. It turns out that my neighbor Ralph Kershaw from back east was on the first plane that hit the towers. He was headed to Singapore on business.
Mrs. J.B.- I'm so sorry to hear about Ralph Kershaw and my condolences to you on the loss of a friend and to your neighbor's family on their loss. Very sad indeed.
Blessings your way,
Peg
I know exactly were I was and it was a peaceful family day, so it seemed we were all at home around the t.v. I stood up to go get something and came back into a totally tragic faced looking room. They all just stared in total disbelief and horror at what the news was showing us all, then I saw it too. I cried, and said to my Dad this can't really be happening? Then I said, I'm sure they will be stopped very soon. We had my Brother back east at that time, and called him we were all just so shocked. It still seems shocking to me even today. It was as if it were the only real thing that could have invaded our peaceful home at that time.
Fluffy77, Thank you for the story about your family and how they received the news of that day. It still is shocking to think about it.
I was painting a house on a main road in Bermuda. Someone stopped and asked if I heard about two planes crashing into WTC. I was like "no". He's like "yea man". And off he went. I assumed it was a mid air collision between two small planes(like cessnas) that fell on or near the WTC.
So I kept painting. Went home for lunch, turned on the TV and was stunned. Didn't even go back to work that day. Later found out that my high schools' best friend's little brother was in one of the towers and died.
Hello Seair,
Sorry to hear about the loss of your high school friend. Soon we will be upon our tenth anniversary of this tragic event. My condolences to you. Thank you for sharing your story.
I got up that morning got my coffee and was watching Peter Jennings when the towers were hit and came down. I was in shock. I walked out on my deck it was cloudy couldn't see anything but I could hear many planes. We never heard planes where we lived but I assumed they were planes heading for Canada. We are not far from the border.
Never will I forget that day or the people that lost their lives.
Hi Moonlake, It was too horrific to take it all in at once. I think we had to absorb it a little at a time in front of the TV. Thank you for taking the time to put in writing your memories of that day. GBY
I was not in the US at the time but had been spending that summer visiting New York alot. One moment I was in a business meeting. The next a manager ran into the boardroom and said that the World Trade Center was hit. Before I knew it we were watching the TV news in shock.
I was working at a small airport, when I first heard the news about a "small" plane crashing into the first tower. Unlike James Watkins, we all thought it was a bizarre accident. Never did we imagine it was the work of terrorists. Thanks for your sharing your reflections of that tragic day.
I was on Long Island NY at home getting ready for work and woke up with the first tower burning and actually saw the second tower get hit live on tv. Very horrific moment...
I was at my desk in the World Financial Center, across the street from the WTC. My building shook. We eventually got outside but that was no better as I was forced to run through Battery Park trying to outrun the ash cloud, which we couldn't do. It was a terrible experience. I count my blessings that I was able to get home to my family that day.
Thank you RhebaE for sharing your experience which mirrored so many of us at work that day. Stunned and in shock we stared at the TV unable to look away.
Prisana, It must have been really difficult for you working in an airport environment as the facts started to come clear and what we hoped had been an accident turned into an act of war. Thank you for commenting today.
Rachealomack, Living in NY was in itself a scary thing at that time but the whole country felt deeply for your losses and suffering. Thanks for dropping by and for your comments.
Dear Dblyn
Thanks to the Lord that you were able to get through the ash cloud to safety. That must have been a heart rendering, life-changing experience. Thank you for coming by to share a small piece of that most difficult time. God bless you.
I was in Thailand preparing lesson plans for my English language business students for the following day. It was 2:00 in the morning.
I was monitoring the television news periodically between lesson plans. I saw the first jet hit, minutes went by and then those minutes turned to 20.
I sat there completely amazed that no helicopters or other aircraft had arrived at the scene to provide security.
Then the second jet hit. Still no friendly aircraft were on the scene. The Bay of Tonkin.
Hello World-Traveler, It presents a completely different perspective when viewing it from your time line. And strange that you were monitoring the TV news at that particular moment. You're right about the Bay of Tonkin. It opened up an era of change, just like this did. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and reflections.
Very powerful poem. Thank you.
Thanks PaddyBoy. Seems like a long time ago. United. Our Nation now divided - rhymes too, unfortunately.
Very good hub...thank you for the reminder...I was substitute teaching in a 7th grad science class. The school secretary told us all to turn on the television and keep the children who were in our class in their seats. We all watched in silence, except for a few girls sobbing in the corner. I remember looking around and thinking only that I wanted to go home and hold my children and send these children home to their parents for them to hold. The school broke the schedule into several parts and we sent the children to lunch. I immediately searched until I touched, hugged and told each of my three children that I loved them (our small town has one school Kindergarten-12th in one building). Today, my oldest son is a United States Marine, protecting our country...one terrorist at a time. God Bless our military...their sacrifices are more than people imagine....On this Veteran's day, remember them in prayer and deed...thank them.
Would you please pass along my thanks to your son for serving our country as a US Marine. Amen, God bless our military. And God Bless the Marines and your son.
Thank you for sharing your story of being in a school and having the awesome responsibility of telling those children what was going on. That must have been truly a difficult task. Hugs to you and thanks for letting us know about your son. Yes, many prayers.
I was in a servo in Devonport, Tasmania when it happened. It was late at night our time. I heard a girl on the radio say loudly 'for those of you near a television turn off the radio and turn the tv on because a plane has just hit the world trade centre'.
Now at that point in history the average Tasmanian did not even know what the world trade centre was or where it was and someone in the line in front of me said to the person in front of them 'Did she say a train just hit the world trade centre?'.
I could remember the bombing though, and I had always wondered if the events in Tom Clancy's novel where the plane struck the capital building would ever occur somewhere in the world in real life.
I ran home and walked in the door and turned the tv on just as the second plane struck. It was already televised on two channels and within minutes all the channels were televising it. I called a friends and my sister to let them know, mostly because the friend had relatives in New York and I knew they would want to try and contact them right away.
The coverage went on all night and all the next day and during that time there were phone numbers on the tv for emergency contact details for people wanting to find out about relatives in New York. There was also a special number for people who had relatives working in the World Trade Centre. Before the night was out I remember one of the government Ministers saying that help would be provided if it was called for, particularly with rescue assistance. It was very quiet around the office the next day. Everyone has American friends and a lot of office time was spent making calls. For those with relatives in the States my employer allowed them to make calls on the business phones so a lot of people were tied up through the day. I have read a lot of people saying above that on that day they felt that there were no divisions in America and that all people were just Americans. I can assure you that on that day most of the world was in solidarity with you.
Hello Brian,
It still amazes me how close we all were for a brief moment, joined by the tragic loss of fellow human beings. Your story brings to light the depth of feeling and how it touched us all in different ways, even across the world.
I never read Tom Clancy's book but it is a reminder how life and fiction are sometimes not too far apart. Thank you so much for sharing your experience on that day that shook the world. And a great big hug for your deep felt comments. Thank you.
OMG!!!! This hub is so near and dear to my heart. Not only did I witness the most horiffic acts of terrorism in US history, but it was also my mom's birthday!!! I remember getting up early on 9/11/2001, it was around 7:30 am and I had my morning cup of coffee. I called my mom around 7:45 am to wish her happy birthday. As I talked with my mother, my attention shifted to the television on Good Morning America. I saw the first plane as it struck the first tower of the World Trade Center. I couldn't believe what I saw, my jaw dropped in shock. I told my mom what I had saw, said "I'm watching this too". I said to her that I would call her back. As I continued watching GMA, images of that plane crashing into that building seared into my mind. Then, the second plane hit the second tower. I shuddered with fear, I started to cry and pray. I watched in horror as the first tower began to collapse, then the second tower collapsed. My heart sank. The feelings of anguish, fear, and loss just overcame my whole body. Every channel I turned to had those same images, playing over and over again. In the meantime while all these events had taken place at The WTC, a plane had also crashed into The Pentagon. I was even more scared. I cried that whole day and many more days afterwards. I had never experienced the emotions of human suffering and loss until that day. To this day, I'm often reminded of how precious life is. Also, my mom is no longer with me. I will cherish life even more with my family. Thank you for such a well written hub. It stirred up a lot of emotions for me.
Hello Nina64, Thank you so much for sharing the story of how you and your Mom found out at the same moment and experienced that event together. How awful that it happened on her birthday. My Auntie's birthday was Pearl Harbor day and she always said it was her birthday first and didn't want it to be associated with such an horrific day; "A day that will live in infamy."
Those of us who remember do carry a renewed value of "how precious life is", as you said. Hopefully, we can keep this feeling alive.
PS. Please accept my deep condolences on your Mother's passing. I'm so sorry.
Kindly
Peg
DiamondRN 21 months ago
I was pulling into the parking lot at work. The was a news flash about a small plane crashing into one of the towers in New York. As the news unfolded, it was a lot worse than that.