Saturday, September 10, 2011
The Evening Before
Ten years ago, at this hour, most people had already finished dinner, were at home, winding down, relaxing, perhaps watching a game or something entertaining on the t.v. Maybe they were talking to their friends on the internet, sending an email, sharing a joke. Maybe they were sitting at their dining room table, going over the bills, writing out the checks or paying on line. Perhaps they were planning their holiday vacations, booking seats, hotels, or thinking of gifts to buy. Still some may have already retired to bed with a good book, a thriller, perhaps. Maybe some of them were cuddling with their dog, teaching him a new trick, excited to show their friends. Maybe one of them was messaging back and forth to a new crush, butterflies in their stomach about the future.
In other words, 10 years ago, at this hour, everything was normal. Everything felt safe. We still had our innocence.
Little did these people know that in 12 hours, their entire lives would change, and some of them would die. Those who jumped from the Towers...what did they do on their last night on earth? What about those caught on the floors that were engulfed in flames? What did they have for dinner the night before? Did they have a good night? Were they worried about anything? Were they looking forward to the next day, unknowing what awaited?
The people on the flight that crash landed in PA...were they excited about their trip? Did they have trouble sleeping the night before because of that excitement? Were they eager to get back home? Were they going on a business trip that would change things in their life for the better?
What about those at the Pentagon? Were they just starting their job, excited at such a great career? Had they just been promoted? Were they thinking of retiring soon?
What did they do, the night before? Did any of them have a feeling, a slight anxiety, an intuition, a shiver run down their back? Did any of them have a single clue that they had 12 hours to live?
We can never forget these people. No matter their party affiliation, no matter how they were to people, no matter what mistakes they had made, no matter if they were good or bad, these people did not deserve to die like this. No one should have to choose between jumping 80+ stories to their death or staying put and burning to death.
I remember them. I think about them. I think about those on that flight where they fought the hijackers and the sick feeling they must have had as the plane went down. I think about those who were hit, in the direct line of the planes, and hope they didn’t feel a thing. I think about those who raced down the stairs, fleeing towards safety, only to lose, when they were so close. And I especially think about those that were shown, up close, jumping. Those are the ones that never leave my mind. I will never erase the images of the people jumping, some head down towards the ground as they fell, some flailing, some holding things in their hands...those people in those images will stay with me forever. And we must never forget the horrors that those people had to go through, some of them KNOWING they were about to die in a horribly, painful way.
And for all of those who excuse this act or stupidly believe that the government did this, I will never forgive you. And I will never forgive the terrorists nor will I ever forgive that mentality. And I will never forgive those who have the audacity to compare America to terrorists.
But most importantly, I will never forget those people who died on 9/11.
