Where were you?

I can't believe that it has been eight years since the attack on the Sept. 11, 2001. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was a senior in High School. I was a student aid in what we called the "woods" shop class. We had just taken roll when a freshmen student came in explaining why she was late. She had said that the United States was under attack. I seriously thought she was crazy. I was so ignorant. Then the Ceramics teacher came in with a very concerned looked on her face that I will never be able to get out of my mind. We turned on the TV and watched {LIVE} as the second plane hit the building. I sat their wondering why the media could get in position to catch the second plane and no attempt was made to stop it. I know there's a lot that I don't understand still.

I also remember thinking about Jared. He was in the Missionary Training Center at the time. I wondered how he would feel and how it would effect his mission. Later he told me that he hadn't even been told about it until that afternoon. He was told over the intercom by the president that there had been an attack on the World Trade Center. They didn't say much more about it. The language teachers were told not to talk about it. So he was left with very little information.

Later that same day, my Humanities teacher, Huck, had us write in our journals. I thought about digging it out, but from what I can remember writing, it would just sound silly because of what has happened since then. My thoughts on war have change and then changed again since then. I remember some friends didn't even know what was going on when I saw them in between classes and when I tried to explain what had happened they acted like it was just another tragedy. No big deal. That also made me realize how numb we were and still are to war and violence.

It always bothers me when I go to a movie and they have a "war" part where they show soldiers fighting and refugees fleeing. It feels wrong to sit in a theater enjoying my popcorn and watching terrible things for entertainment when I know that somewhere there are people all over the world living out those circumstances in real life. I've asked real soldiers how they feel about it when they see movies like this and some have said they wish it was portrayed more realistically.

Another teacher I had in sixth grade had told us that nothing historically significant had happened during our lifetime. We thought we were going to live in the "golden years" forever.

Its crazy how things change and will always continue to change. Jared used to joke about being an artist. People were always fascinated by his occupation. He would say, "When the economy goes to poop, art will be the first thing to go." I used to roll my eyes thinking that will never happen. What will the next eight years bring?