I remember.

I remember every moment of that day. It is almost as if someone took a chisel and etched the feelings and images from the day onto my soul. I will never forget September 11, 2001.

---

The day started like all of my days. I was up at 5:30, I got ready for school and met the family upstairs for breakfast scriptures and prayers. Dad told me I needed to take him to work before I went to school. I was running late. I sat in the car and watched dad as he walked to the truck and got out his sunglasses then continued on to clean them. I was annoyed. And my 16 year old self thought " If he was late and I was taking time to clean my sunglasses he would just leave me." I was agitated and worried about being to school on time.  Little did I know of the catastrophic tragedy that was happening 2,300 miles away. I remember.

Once we finally left and headed to school dad remembered that he had left something he needed for work. I had to turn around and go back for him to get it. He also needed me to stop so he could drop off something at a house on the way to school. He told me about 100 feet from the turn that I needed to stop. When I braked abruptly he told me "I had a braking problem that I needed to work on."The annoyance grew, the frustration mounted. I, in my self consumed dramatic world, couldn't imagine the day getting any worse.

---

I arrived at school. Late. I made my way up to Mr. Workmans Health class on the second floor. I walked in and instantly knew something was wrong. The rest of school was spent in whispers of hear say. Who had done it, why they had done it, warnings we should have seen, when the next attacks would be.We watched footage of days events in 4 of my classes, the other two teachers made attempts at following the schedule outlined the day before. The attempts were in vain because I remember nothing taught. 

---

I remember going to work and seeing the sign on the door "We are closed today due to the current events happening in New York."

I remember the feelings of fear and confusion.

I remember sitting on my grandma's porch with her and my mom. I remember grandma saying she had heard it had been planned to be on 9/11 because our emergency number here was 911.

I remember listening to President Bush's address to the nation and feeling proud to be an American and realizing for the first time in my life the cost to be free. 

I remembered the goosebumps that rose on my arm as he made this statement, "Tonight I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us spoken through the ages in Psalm 23: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me."

I remember. 

And I will never forget.