I was a senior in high school and we had band first period. We came off the practice field, grabbed our things, and rushed to second period, English.
I remember walking into the classroom and the tv being on, which was unusual. A classmate told us that a plane had hit the Trade Center. Honestly, I didn't think much of it. I was 17, and clueless about how much of an impact this was making on our lives then, and even now.
But I sat my things down and began watching the tv too. I was horrifed at what I was watching happen. And not long after, the second plane hit. That's when I knew I was watching history before my eyes.
That whole period we were glued to the tv. I think every tv in the school was on and every student watched. Even as "kids" we knew what we were seeing was bad, really bad.
We moved on to third period and there came an annoucement that the teachers were instructed to turn off the tv's in the room and conduct normal classroom duties, so the tv's were turned off. We all fussed, and I think even the teachers fussed, but they had orders.
I still remember thinking that it was unfair that we were watching something that was going to be in history books, and we were denied even seeing it. But years later, I can understand that better. At this point is when people were jumping to their deaths from the buildings and the news crews were capturing all the disturbing images of people's deaths. Looking back, I know that wasn't something we needed to witness happen.
The rest of the day is a blur to me, but no one learned anything that day. As soon as I got home, I switched on the television to the news and sat glued to it all night. I think Americans all around were doing the same thing.
The weeks and months that followed were a time of sadness. So many Americans had lost their lives that day. America was broken. But since then we've rebuilt our confidence, captured and killed Bin Laden, and moved on to re-buidling at Ground Zero.
America might have been wounded that day, but it shook a place in all our hearts. And I am PROUD to say I am an American and PROUD of every man and woman who serves in our military fighting for our freedom.
God Bless the USA!
