When I was in 4th grade, I had a teacher who was very much into current events. So every morning, we start our class with watching the morning news and we write a short journal entry about what event was the most interesting to us. However, this morning routine took a different route on the morning of 9/11.

I remember the entire class talking to each other while we waited for our teacher to finish setting up the TV. As soon as turned on the TV, the entire class grew silent. I looked up to see what was going on. I turned to look at the TV; and noticed that our Hawaii local news wasn’t playing. Instead, it was a footage of breaking news about two planes crashing into two buildings in New York. At that time, we were unsure of what was going on, but somehow we knew that something wasn’t right. My teacher turned off the TV after we watched it for about a minute. This one minute of silence, and one minute of witnessing this event felt like an hour. Actually, it felt like the Earth stopped during that one silent, minute.

When I came home from school, I explained to my parents what I just seen in class, but still wasn’t exactly sure what was going on. Therefore, they explained to me what was going on. And they explained it to me in the most simplest way that a nine-year old will understand.

Now I understood what was going on.

I cried. I cried because I was afraid. And I cried because my heart was hurting for those who lost their loved ones.

The next morning at school, my teacher explained to us what happened the other day. Then he turned on the news; and here we are in class, watching everyone in New York gather around the sight of the 9/11 event. Everyone there was holding candles, embracing one another, while singing “God Bless America.” It’s an image that I’ll never forget.

After watching the news, my class went outside to meet the rest of the student body outside of school by the flagpole. We gathered around the flag in a circle, and had a moment of silence for those in New York. Even though we were all the way in Hawaii, and not in New York (witnessing this event in person), we still poured out our prayers and condolences to everyone there.

No matter where I am, and no matter how many years pass by, I will always remember this day. I’ll never forget 9/11.

9/11- You are never forgotten.