9/11

Today marks ten years since 9/11. Do you remember where you were when you found out? 

I was in 8th grade, switching between classes when a friend ran up to me in the hallway and told me that  planes had crashed into the twin towers. I think I was in disbelief, because it didn't really register with me that people were actually inside those buildings, dying as we went about our morning classes. I just remember thinking that it must have been some sort of accident. In the next class periods, our teachers turned on radio news reports and tried their best to explain what was happening. Tons of kids got picked up early from school as the twin towers fell to the ground.

That evening, my family and I sat in the living room and watched the news replay the planes hitting the towers over and over. It was on every single channel and just didn't look real. 

I remember my band teachers telling us how we are all related to each other by some law of sixths (he could have been making that up... he was an interesting man) and we likely knew someone who knew someone that was now dead. I didn't personally know anyone who passed away that day thankfully, but it's likely that there were people in my town who did. Shikole and I grew up and hour and a half north of NYC, and many people in our town are city transplants or work in the city part time.

We sincerely hope that all of those who lost loved ones or were affected in any way by 9/11 are finding some peace today, ten years after the horrible event. Take a second to remember where you were that day, reflect on how far you've come as a person, and think about how far we still need to progress as a nation.