On September 11, 2001, I was in my ninth grade english class in Rocky Mount, NC. A teacher from acros the hall came to the classroom door and asked to speak to my teacher. Myself and my other classmates did no think this to be unusual, so we started talking amongst ourselves. After speaking with the other teacher, my teacher became frantic and began to shout, “Turn on the TV, turn to CNN NOW!” Myself and my classmates did not know what was going on, but we knew that something was not right. We turned on the TV and turned to CNN, and the picture that I saw was unbelieveable! At first no one really knew what to think because we didnt know if this was an accident or what.
After about five minutes of watching CNN, another plane was also flying at a very low level. As my classmates and I stood in front of the TV, we began to question why this plane was so low. The next thing we knew, the second plane had hit the second World Trade Center. I was in shock! I could not believe what was going on! I felt like I was in a bad dream and could not wake up. Shortly after that, we heard about the third plane hitting the Pentagon, and then later on we heard about the fourth plane crashing in the field in Pennslyvannia. What had started out as a normal day for me and the rest of America, ended up being a day of hell.
I remember my principal coming on the intercom and saying that this day was like December 7, 1941 for our grandaprents. She also went on to say that this day would impact us and this nation, and remain in our memories forever. It would be a story that we would someday tell to our children and grandchildren. As I walked home that day from school, I remember walking in a fast pace, and looking at the sky. I was ready to be home, where I knew I would feel safe and feel comfort. When I got home I turned on the news, and listened to what was going on, still in a state of shock. Later on that day, my mom and I went to the store to pick up some things, and decided to listen to the radio. I remember on the radio, someone saying that President Bush was talking about going to war.
I could not believe what I was hearing! I was only 14 years old at the time, and thought that war in my lifetime would only happen when I was old. Boy was I wrong! Later that night, I sat in the living room with my family and we watched the news, as news reporters began to give their summaries of the day. As I sat their, I promised myself, though I was only fourteen years old, that I would never again be blind and ignorant to the facts and events of the world around me, and would never think again that nothing this terrible could ever happen to America just because we were a Super Power. Today I am nineteen years old, and have learned from the events on 9/11 to never take anything for granted, and I learned to look at the world around me in a different view, that of gratitude and thankfulness.
I do not know when other terrorist attacks will take place in this country, but I can only hope that we are ready and prepared for whatever comes our way. I think of 9/11 often, and pray for those families who lost someone close to them on that day. 9/11 changed this country and the people who live here forever.