Ten Years.

When I started writing this, I thought I was going to post it on my personal blog, but I am opting to do the series on this one instead. I am going to cover a couple of topics in these, and I know any of us who were old enough will always remember where we were, but I challenge each of you to think about what we have learned and where we have come… part of that starts with knowing where we started. So, that is part of what this week will look at. Back to all thing Southern and whatnot next week!

Wow, I can’t believe that it has been 10 years since the attacks of September 11^th. I think I may do a series of blogs as we get closer. I have been going through my journal from that time period, the infamous “White Volume,” and there are so many things in there that might be interesting to share. Mainly e-mails from that day that had been saved that highlights the emotions of that day.

The other night                 I watched a special on the National Geographic Chanel with President George W. Bush. I read about the interview before I saw the show, and the producer commented about what an open and honest interview it was. He said that Bush came to the two day interview with no notes and no handlers and they literally just talked to a man on what his recollections were of that terrible day. In this case though, the man happened to be the President of the United States at the time. He talked about the moment he heard the news in that classroom in Florida, and how he had to remain calm in front of children and cameras (which I think makes sense). He commented on how it was like watching a silent movie unfold, as he could see the press in the back of the room get the news of the attack in New York and to see their reactions. Bush was not my most favorite President, but I will never fault him for the way he reacted to 9/11 that day and in the weeks that immediately followed, I can’t imagine that job on that day.

Time has definitely blurred the sharpness of that day for me. I still feel the overall impact, but I realize I have pushed some of the very painful things out of my mind. So that when 9/11 comes up in conversation in a class or even on the news, I don’t immediately think about the images of people jumping from buildings, or the image of that plane flying into the tower, or the collapse. I think about how someone launched a war on us, and people losing their lives and how it changed my world. My emotions just aren’t as sharp when I think of it as life in a post-9/11 world. But being closer to the anniversary there have been TV shows and magazines and books in abundance. It is seeing these shows, which I choose to watch at times, that it all comes rushing back. And it is a flood. I will be honest, I was slightly unprepared as to how emotional it would be ten years later to watch the actual footage. In the last week, I have literally had wet eyes or deep cries and a lot of goose bumps every time something comes on. It is not just a quick 15 second clip they are showing, but ongoing footage and interviews from that day, those moments. And it was awful then, it is still gut-wrenching all these years later. I can’t fault them for showing it, I mean, I am opting to watch it. I think we need to remember (that is a topic for another day) and I think that emotion needs to be felt. But man is it tough.

Ten years. I will never forget that day and all that it represents now.