9 * 11

Ok, I've been listening and reading everyone's "where I was when it happened" stories today, so maybe it's time to share mine...
I was trying to get Jenny to hurry and get ready for school. (She was in 4th grade at the time) She was sitting at the bar eating her bowl of cereal, and watching tv, I walked in as the news bulletin was playing...I remember just being stunned as I saw footage of the airplane hitting the first tower. At first, I thought I was seeing previews for a movie or something, because it was so surreal! As I watched, it became more and more eveident that this was an actual event unfolding before my very eyes! My chin dropped, as did my stomach... I was glued to the spot where I stood. I felt a kind of fear that I have never experienced before in my life! My young innocent daughter looked up - she being from a generation where "special effects" are an every-day fact of life, and she lauged. I stopped her immediately - my first thought being, how do I tell her what's happening, without scaring her to death - but this was not a laughing matter - people were dying as we watched. There is no way to even begin to describe the feelings I had as the towers started to fall...
I remember as they replayed the events over and over on the news all day, it felt like it was happening over and over...the fear and sadness was just overwhelming and oppressive.
As I drove my daughter to school, and myself to work - it just felt wrong to be going about my normal routine...at work, the atmosphere was somber - no idle laughter, or casual chit chat today. Customers were few, and also very sober.
On the day that was designated a national day of prayer and rememberance, a candle light vigil was held at the local park. I am usually not a "joiner", my family just doesn't usually do things like this, but I felt that we had to be there this time - even though it happened thousands of miles away - it was deeply personal to all of us!