On the anniversary, what does 9/11 mean to you?

[Showtime]

Last year I was in and out of work.
On the morning of September 11th I watched in disbelief as one airplane and than another flew into the World Trade Center, the Twin Towers in N.Y.
I was glued to the TV while trying to find info at CNN.com.
I watched without understanding why this was happening. As pieces of information came in I grew more dumbfounded. I watched the planes crash and buildings fall over and over and over again.
When the 1st Tower came crashing down, I watched in horror. I was in shock and felt my spirit cringe.
When 2nd came down I watched in frustration and anger. My soul cried.
I had no idea how bad it was but I knew people were hurt and lost.
Throughout the day as more information became available I watched. I held back tears at times and wondered why.
By night I some answers. I went to the gym. It was quiet. I worked out some frustration. Small talk, some calling for retribution, me wondering what this will do to us. I kept thinking about those trapped and those lost. On the TV it was there and I watched it over and over again.
The wounds are still fairly fresh but life goes on. We will do what we have to. So many stories. So much pain. Life continues but I will never forget what was lost on September 11th, 2001.
God Bless America!
-jel:|

[DankNstickY]

September 11, 2001 brought anger, sadness, and fear for me.
When the first tower was hit, I was in shock. The second attack brought even more shock, but it brought some anger with it.
Later, finding out about the Pentagon and the other plane that missed its target, I felt more and more rage.
I had been looking into the Marines prior to the attacks; a friend of mine had been trying to convince me to join. The anger inside me wanted revenge, and I felt that by joining the Marines, I would be closer to calming my anger. I kept that mentality for a while, but it slowly died away. I kept an interest in the Marine Corps but not as strong as it was following the attacks.
Recently I've been thinking about the Marine Corps alot and I'm really going to look into it.
Watching shows on TV about 9/11 brought back the feelings and memories from that day. I watched firefighters talk about them loosing their father, brothers, sons, and friends in the attacks. Watching these police officers, firefighters, and civilians break down in the streets and cry brought that sorrow back. My heart went out to those people.
Hopefully this 9/11 we'll all be safe.

[Speedfreak]

9/11 caused me confusion at first. I just could not believe what I was watching on tv that dreadful morning. I thought it was a movie. It had to be. "This can't be real", I thought. Real it was, real it is. After the realization, came the grief and the sorrow :( and the anger :angry:.

I went to school that day, like any other day. It wasn't any other day, though. It was a day that made me think how lucky I was to be an American. Lucky? Ya, lucky that I have the American spirit inside of me. Lucky that after such a tradgedy that I still have that spirit.

"You can be sure that the American spirit will prevail over this tragedy."
--Colin Powell

No doubt, Mr. Powell, no doubt.

[mojo]

i don't have anything deep to say, or much to add to what everyone else obviously thinks. i think the usual stuff...the grief, the torment, the sorrow.

on top of this, i'm glad i'm alive. i know that it could happen to any of us at any time. every minute has to count. cuz you never know when some whacko is gonna do something in the name of something that hardly matters after all is said and done.

when did anyone pull a stunt like this that reverberated anything but "what a bunch of idiots"? sure, they patted each other on the back, and a few groups, that just by coincidence :rolleyes: are also idiots, also hailed their efforts. but overall, it was just a terrible loss of lives to make points that really didn't bring about the alleged desired changes. it just made the rest of us realize what a bunch of cowardly, misguided losers are over there and among us.

i'm also saddened that we now have the reborn patriots that a year ago would have just as soon spit in your face as to shake your hand are now your best friend in our alliance against "the bad guys." it's always agony that brings us together. there's no "brotherhood of man" or whatnot unless it's imposed. like i said before, if it lasts, then i guess that's fine and i'll count my blessings. it'll be a few years before i'm convinced of that.

i wish it didn't happen. i'll go along basically with anything non-idiotic that peeps gotta say on the subject. but these are some of the points that come to my mind right now.

[revil]

I'm not sure what it means to me. but i was just sitting here thinking, it's somebodies birthday today. damn that sucks.

billy's mom: happy birthday billy. in light of the anniversary of the terrorism, we shall take a moment of silence throughout the entire day.
billy: what? why?
billy's mom: you talked :mad2: no present for you!
billy: ah crap.

[oblongmelon]

it means every single person at work will come in crying about the anniversary-because they all want to be the center of attention (it's all so very annoying).

[Jenny]

I won't allow myself to dwell on it. If I do, I'll get upset.

It means heartache, sadness and anger. Like someone else mentioned, it also means thankfulness. I'm alive, my family is all well and I have friends that love me. I will never forget the pain of that day but I won't give in to those bastards and live my life in fear or let my sadness over it overtake my life.

[Showtime]

Found link at TB:http://arstechnica.com/wankerdesk/01q3/war/index.html

[CornMonkey]

Originally posted by the jello is jigglin
Found link at TB:http://arstechnica.com/wankerdesk/01q3/war/index.html
gosh, those pics were beautiful.

[topane]

It means life is short enough and can be taken away quickly and unexpectedly. You only get one, make the most of it.

[faither]

September 11, I believe for me, will always evoke profound feelings of anger and sadness. Anger because of what was perpetuated against innocent people only going to work, visiting relatives, taking a flight; basically being in the wrong place at the wrong time -- a place I'd been at that time on countless days. Sadness because of all the children who lost a parent, parents that lost children and the tens or hundreds of thousands of lives that were ripped apart that day.

I've worked here since I was in college and now because of my commute, I go by that area every working day and not a day has gone by where I haven't gotten angry or upset with the results of these attacks.

These were my thoughts the first time I went back to see the area last September...


Originally posted by faither
You've been able to get to Broadway and Liberty since Wednesday and although most of us have that "streak" where we'd like to get closer, that's entirely close enough. If you walk a little further north on Broadway (Cortlandt St.), you are struck by the view of seeing straight through to the World Financial Center (no towers blocking the view).

Working in lower-Manhattan, being there that day and seeing the second plane strike the Tower from my office, if I live a thousand years, I do not believe I'll ever see anything so tragic and grotesque.

[latingirl]

I really don't have any words. I feel a whole lot more emotional than I thought I would.

Jel - thanks for the link...that was very touching (I also bookmarked the site...cool).

I just have to thank God that I'm alive, I have my sanity, I have both arms and legs, I have food to eat and a roof over my head. And my family is alive and well.

[psycho-]

Makes you know that you can't take anything for granted.

[brainsmile]

Just wanted to open up this thread for the day and just let you guys say what you will always remember and what you're thankful for as well on this day that unites us as a nation

[Nija]

It means, don't try to watch tv or listen to the radio, and don't forget to wear your "patrotic" colors. :shrug:

I'm so done with this......

[chrissy]

Originally posted by Nija
It means, don't try to watch tv or listen to the radio, and don't forget to wear your "patrotic" colors. :shrug:

I'm so done with this......

I kinda agree with this. This morning, I was glad to be at work. Until I looked at the wall of TVs and every single one showed the towers. Then went into the broadcast that ABC was showing. Not only on the tv, but it was delayed on the Radio network (intercom) so every name read, I heard twice. :hmm:

I dunno, just didn't think Walmart was the place to do any reflection or stuff.

I came home, haven't watched any news (which is a change for me), watched a Marilyn Monroe movie, some Emeril and some Tech TV.

After having it shoved down my throat for the past year, that it impacted everything from emotions of unborn children to the price of a small french fry at McDonald's, I am not sensitive to it anymore?? I guess... I am glad the year is over. Maybe the media can move on to other things now.

Don't get me wrong. I feel for people it touched personally and I will always remember. I just think that this past year was over kill.

It has been compaired to Pearl Harbor. I found this article at The Washington Times that speaks about how different our country is after 9/11 as to Pearl Harbor.
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20020911-8429718.htm


...In her newspaper column on Dec. 8, 1942, first lady Eleanor Roosevelt told Americans why she opposed the commemoration of Pearl Harbor. "It is not a date for a holiday," she wrote. "It is a date that should make us work." ...

[kimchicowboy]

we live in a place where evil is real.

[cruelpupet]

What does it mean to me???

Dumb Luck / Fate


9/11 landed on an election day. Both my parents work at our local voting booths down the street at a public school. My father was not at his office like he is every other day in the year. His office is right across the street from South Tower.

My sister who is usually on the train running under WTC. Woek up late and took a different train.

My cousin, who just had a kid 7mo before 9/11 had a meeting planned for that morning in one of the two towers. Leah (his daughter) was sick so he canceled his meeting to take her to the doctor.

[kimchicowboy]

Originally posted by cruelpupet
What does it mean to me???

Dumb Luck / Fate


9/11 landed on an election day. Both my parents work at our local voting booths down the street at a public school. My father was not at his office like he is every other day in the year. His office is right across the street from South Tower.

My sister who is usually on the train running under WTC. Woek up late and took a different train.

My cousin, who just had a kid 7mo before 9/11 had a meeting planned for that morning in one of the two towers. Leah (his daughter) was sick so he canceled his meeting to take her to the doctor.
i've heard several of these kinds of stories from friends who live in NY. it's nuts. fate is definitely an interesting word to describe the situations.

[attgig]

just looking back at some of the posts last year...

starts on:
http://www.gotapex.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=9&daysprune=1000&sortorder=desc&sortfield=lastpost&perpage=40&pagenumber=220
and keeps on going for a while...
at least 3-5 pages....if not more.

http://www.gotapex.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30313

man...brings back a lot.


ahhhh.
and this crazy discussion we had leading up to the 11th:
http://www.gotapex.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29371
wow...

[Butch]

Yesterday was very eerie.

9/11 last year I walked home from work . . . as did just about everyone else in Manhattan. There were emergency services vehicles going all over the place. Streets were packed.

9/11 this year I decided to walk home again. Just for the heck of it . . . it was a nice day. When I made it up to Columbus Circle, streets were blocked off, emergency services vehicles were around and streets were packed . . . debris had been blown off the AOL Time Warner building that is under construction, and had hit a couple of people. Definitely was a bit of deja vu.