September 11, 2014- 9/11

For most Americans September 11th is a day to remember what happened that day in 2001. For me, I was 16 years-old and in the 11th grade. I was the first one up because I had to leave for school earliest. I remember turning on the television for not even 5 minutes before I had to leave. By that time, both towers had been hit by planes. I wasn't really sure what was going on at that point or how big of a deal it was. It wasn't until I got to school I realized how big of a deal it was. That was all we did that day. We watched the news and talked about it. I remember walking from one class to the next and in that time period a tower had fell.

I remember that day one of my teachers telling me to remember this day because it was going to be history. Our children will be reading about it in their history books. They might even have to interview us one day for a paper they have to write on it. I remember thinking that my teacher was crazy, but I realize know it's true. I doesn't seem like it was long ago, but it kind of was. My youngest niece wasn't even born yet. Since then we have had other history making events like tsunamis, earthquakes, wars, election of the first black president, strides in civil rights, reality television, the iPhone, etc. It still is mind boggling to me that World War II for me is going to be 9/11 to my grandchildren.

Being from California and living there at the time, I didn't really feel the affects of that day. I was lucky enough to not know a single person there. That doesn't mean I haven't felt some kind of effect. Yes, that specific day changed the lives for so many, but the effects are still happening today. 9/11 lead to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Myself and my family have known many young men who have gone and fought. One of those was a guy I went to school with from preschool all the way through high school. I have had friends married to soldiers who went to fight and did not come back the same. We still feel from it even 13 years later, and I know as a country we always will.