9.11.01 Never Forgotten

Also, all of the Firefighters and other workers that went in to help. We have lost so many more due to the cancers and illnesses they got from it. I was so nervous when my husband and many other Firefighters from Portland flew to New York on September 11th for the first anniversary to show support for them and their families.

I was working on a painting while watching it on TV that morning. I titled it "Thoughts and Prayers" because I heard that more than anything else that day. I've kept it for myself to keep as a reminder.

Thoughts and Prayers for all who lost their lives and the families left behind......Kerri

I remember watching the tragedy unfold on tv that morning. No, I'll never be able to forget. Prayers for those left behind and for the responders, especially those with related health problems.

Listened to the moment of silence this morning on CNN on my radio on the way to work. It still makes me cry.

God bless those left behind and keep them safe.

I'm amazed there are so few mentions of this day on Facebook. Is it possible we've forgotten so soon? Below is a blog I wrote on the 11th anniversary of 9-11. It contains a link to a gallery of art inspired by the horrific events on that beautiful morning. We must never, ever, forget.

http://karynrobinsonfineart.blogspot.com/2012/09/under-beautiful-blue-sky_11.html

Blessings to the brave families who have lost their loved ones.

The lack of response to this thread, is very telling, IMO

"I'm amazed there are so few mentions of this day on Facebook. Is it possible we've forgotten so soon?"

So sad that possibly the greatest moment of change in the history of the USA could go unnoticed by so many. Perhaps it's because the players in the incident have been so vilified. Those planes hitting those buildings should be played every morning as a reminder... along with the National Anthem.

Regardless... God Bless The USA.

I will never forget still have my flag ribbon on my car mirror.

Before 9/11 happened, the oldest commissioned ship in the US Navy had the distinct honor of being the only ship able to fly the "First Navy Jack", one of the Culpepper Rattlesnake Flags. Since 9/11, every US Navy ship now flies the First Navy Jack.

From usflag.org :
"...The flag we know today as the First Navy Jack (sometimes known as the "Culpepper Flag") is believed to have flown aboard the Alfred, flagship of the newly commissioned Continental Fleet, in January, 1776. American ships used this flag, or one of its variations, throughout the Revolutionary War. This powerful American symbol was used by the Continental Navy in 1776 and is being used again by the U.S. Navy in the War on Terrorism. "

Hopefully the image below won't be considered an image dump today:

I try to get to Pepperdine University in Malibu each year to see their display of flags that represent every person who lost their life that day. Every flag is larger-than-life size & seeing those thousands of huge flags spread out over the front of their campus brings a reality to the immenseness of the numbers lost. I haven't had a chance to get there, yet, this year...but, this is a good reminder. No, we can never forget!!!

Greg and Lynn, nice images. Lynn, that second one is beautiful as well as powerful. I would love to see that in person.

It's kind of like going to the Vietnam memorial for people my age. As far as I know, I'm the only person my age that does not know anyone personally on that wall. I do have a photo of a name from the wall of one of my husband's friends from high school. The three classmates of his that went all have their names on that wall. It's a powerful experience.

I would love to get to the museum in New York and see the memorial in the plaza there.

Never again

Honoring the memory of all those who perished and those that are alive.

We will not forget...those at ground zero and the brave that went in... Someone posted this the other day...fitting tribute I think

Marlene had a point up there. Sparse crowd indeed.

I agree that the lack of responses is telling--but in many cases, it may be telling of something entirely different from forgetfulness. I think people try to block a lot of those memories, either consciously or unconsciously. Some would rather avoid discussions like this one because it is simply too full of horrible memories. Have you watched one of those 911 documentaries aired during the last few years? It's amazing how the flood of fear and anger and confusion comes roaring back upon seeing those images again. Sometimes it is just too painful for people to talk about.

Delilah,

You are right in so many ways. But to my astonishment Karyn's observation is pretty revealing. Almost like a clean sweep under the carpet. And to make it all come into a bit more light, I noticed two folks (that end up on my personal news page) complaining that their tribute to the 911 tragedies were put through the ringer by Facebook. Too much PC for such an important moment in our history.

911 is one of the most important events in history, not just the United States.

Perhaps each of us has a reason for not commenting. For me, the experience is still so deep and the pain so raw, I can't begin to articulate it. No, it's not "writer's block." I think that tends to happen when people don't have much to say. What I feel is quite the opposite.

A month or two before 9/11, I was returning from Washington, D.C., where I had attended a conference for professional editors and visited with a friend from college. After several days in D.C., I boarded my plane, a Continental nonstop flight to Houston. My seat assignment was on the aisle. My seatmates struck me as middle-eastern and looked like brothers, or maybe cousins. While other passengers assisted one another with storing luggage and getting situated, these men ignored me and everyone around them. There seemed to be an unusual rudeness by omission, a disdain of me as a woman, as a human being. I had never sensed anything like it before--as if they were made of cold steel. I sat down briefly but felt so uncomfortable I couldn't stay. I quietly gathered my things and walked to the back of the plane, where I told a flight attendant of my discomfort. She never questioned my feelings. She immediately assigned a strong, capable-looking gentleman, perhaps an air marshal, to my seat and offered me a seat in the last row.

Then the waiting began. We didn't know what the delay was about, but the captain kept offering assurances about getting to the runway real soon. Finally our plane was next in line to depart. Again, a delay. This time we were told there was "a problem with the plane." We returned to the terminal and were "deplaned." That meant sitting and waiting until another plane could be provided for us. I never saw those two middle-eastern men get off the plane, nor did I see them again that day.

The horrific events of September 11 brought story after story on the news. As with the assassination of President Kennedy when I was a senior in high school, I felt glued to the TV. At some point, a composite of a dozen pictures of the perpetrators' faces was shown. Two I recognized immediately. They had been my seatmates on that aborted flight.

Later I learned on the news that the hijackers had been making regular runs from D.C. to other cities, Houston among them. The airlines apparently had enough awareness to employ air marshals on certain flights at that time. They knew something was going on. Fortunately for me, Continental handled the situation beautifully. But the memory of it still gives me chills. I'm shaking as I write this. I don't have any answers. But I do have one pesky question: Why in the world would a flying school in Florida, which trained these people, teach them how to fly a commercial plane but not require them to learn how to land it? (They didn't want to learn that part, you may recall.)

What I learned from that experience will stay with me for life: If you don't feel right about something, tell someone. I did, and Continental Airlines listened. Two months prior to September 11, 2001, I met two terrorists face-to-face on what should have been a routine flight back home to Houston. The memory of that, and all the events that followed, killed my desire to post anything today on Facebook. But I certainly have not forgotten.

That was worth waiting for Connie. Thank you for sharing your experience.

I'm glad you shared that with us Connie. Such a powerful touching story. It must have been so spooky when you saw their faces. I didn't even go into facebook today. I was afraid someone would say the wrong thing about the day and get me riled up.
I do have to say, I hope US plans make a real dent.

Thank you, Glenn and EricaMaxine. Your kindness has touched me. How fortunate we are to be here--following our dreams.

Connie, that's an amazing and scary story. My co-worker's sister worked in the American Stock Exchange building right next door to the trade centers. She called my co-worker when she came up out of the subway to tell her there was paper and stuff flying all over the place. Then she just said "Oh, my God...." when she actually witnessed the 2nd plane hit the 2nd tower. By the time I got to work (had the radio off in the car), my co-worker was shaking uncontrollably and she and my boss were scrambling looking for a working radio in the office. Fortunately, her sister got out of the area with no injuries. That building where she worked had to be torn down later. Too much damage.

My son was supposed to take a business trip flying from Logan to LA that month. I knew it wasn't that day, but it took me four tries to get through to him to confirm he wasn't on one of those planes. I was afraid maybe his business trip had been moved earlier, but fortunately, he was fine.

I know that day touched so many lives, there are thousands of stories like that. Connie, thank God you were ONLY on one of their test runs....

Connie, your story is both chilling and powerful. It must have been terrifying. Too many people don't go with their gut instincts, but apparently you are well in tune with yours. How you must have felt when you saw those faces on television.

Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

So many stories . . . Yes, Mary, it must have been a test run--one of many. Glad your son's trip wasn't moved up.

Delilah, thank you. You're very tuned in to have said that. After writing about it yesterday, I can barely function today--emotionally exhausted. But imagine the families left behind, and how they must feel. My heart goes out to them, and each and every individual affected.

Connie your story brought tears to my eyes. My mind and heart will never foget that terrifying morning. I was on the phone with my Mom we could not comprehend what was happening. I will never forget it is embedded in my memory for the rest of my life as it is for all of us. God Bless

Perhaps some have different ways of remembering and honoring and prefer not wearing it on their sleeves.