It's been nine years, but like all other Americans alive on that day, I remember it like it was yesterday. Waking up to the news, seeing the towers fall, trying to comprehend the enormity of the events unfolding, and walking through the day like a zombie, hungry for any news - and asking "why?"
One of the things that struck me that day was the air full of yellow, and pink, and white paper. I couldn't help but think that just a few hours ago, those pieces of paper floating in the air were the highest priority for the 3,000 people that would never have the opportunity to go home.
My feelings turned bittersweet in the days following 9-11. I remember an having an intense feeling of American pride. I had never before seen our country pull together the way we did in the days following. I would drive down the street and see people on street corners waving flags, and there was a man in my town who would drive through busy areas playing patriotic music on a loud speaker, flying an enormous American flag. They're small gestures, but at the time, it meant a lot.
Today, I was reading The Pioneer Woman's blog, and she talked of the importance of Remembering today, and mentioned the History Channel coverage.
I personally just had a good cry on the History Channel website "This Day in History" which gives a simple text account of that day.
May we always remember.