Where I was on 9/11

With the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 occurring on Sunday, many people are reflecting back on where they were and the experience from their perspective.  I have decided to join in this remembrance of where I was.

At this time in my life, I was an undergraduate at Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska (which is on central time).  I was majoring in secondary education (mathematics and speech/drama).  The two main classes I remember I was in at this semester were teacher practium and mass media survey.  In addition, I had a serious boyfriend who I had been dating for about 20 months.  I was living at home while I went to school and worked weekends at McDonalds. 

On Tuesdays (as was 9/11/01), I started my mornings by completeting my practicum at the local high school in Seward.  I remember as I was pulling into my parking spot and getting ready to shut off the car, I thought I heard the radio dj say something about an airplane running into a building.  Yet, I had to get into school as the class started around 8:15.  So I turned off my car and I remember thinking to myself that the dj must have been telling some sort of "joke" or story - it wasn't real.

When I was in the classroom, it was honestly just a typical day; as far as I knew, no one in the classroom (including myself) knew what was truly going on.  Class let out around 9:45 (they were on block scheduling - 90 minutes) and I had class at 10:30.  I spent about 10 minutes talking to the teacher before I left.  Then I got back into my car to head up to campus (about a 4 minute drive) and I heard this thing about planes crashing into the Twin Towers.  It was at this point that I knew it was real.  Even though I really wanted to know more of what was going on, I was the kind of student who didn't miss class.  So I headed into Weller Hall where my class was.  This building is more than just a classroom building on campus, it was where the chapel on campus was housed.  Chapel started at 10 and got out around 10:20 or so.  When I walked in, I could see all the tears of fellow students around me.  Yet in all that sadness and tears that was so visible, you couldn't help but see the anger in people's eyes as well.  "How could anyone do that?" I heard one student say.  I heard someone's answer, that I still look back at today with amazement:  "God comes to everyone, but they have to be willing to accept Him into their heart.  These people obviously did not do that."  Why this amazed me so much is that even when this event had just happened, some people didn't blame God (as many did at first) but looked at it in the way Christians should.

I headed up the stairs with a few fellow students who were in my class (as speech majors, we were in a lot of the same classes).  The class:  Mass Media Survey - how fitting.  We spent the class having the news on and sharing our feelings (including anger) with each other.  I wasn't the most outgoing person in class (I never felt like a well spoken person), I mainly watched the news and listened to others.  Looking back at it now, I wish I would have shared what I had heard downstairs with the class.

From what I remember, I didn't have classes for the rest of the day so I went home and watched the news.  My boyfriend and I talked about it later that night (he was working third shift so he was sleeping from about 8-4).  I went out that night, can't remember why, and what I do remember is just seeing "long" lines at the gas stations (long for Seward) and the parking lots of all the grocery stores full with people stocking up.

I don't think anyone here will ever forget that day (and why should we?).  It reminded us that America is vulnerable; yet it also reminded us to relish the important things in our lives and relinquished some patriotism throughout the nation.  I know my boyfriend thought about why should he wait to do something he wanted to do for awhile - less than 2 weeks later, my boyfriend proposed.  He is now my husband that I have two amazing children with.  When they get older and I tell them the story of us getting engaged one important thing I want to emphasize to them is that you can't always live for tomorrow.  We are here today.