I had spent the better part of the night before drinking.
Laughing and playing our favorite games with a small group of my closest friends.
The next morning four of us woke up extra early to take my friend to class and drop me off at work on the way. My car was broken (again). It was either get up at 5am or take the bus across town and still get up at 5am.
I, thankfully, did not have a hangover (I was so lucky back then) and I groggily walked into work hoping to catch a couple of winks before my work day technically started.
There was a co-worker who was always in early and he jovially greeted me with his usual "Go ahead and go back home. Doesn't look like we'll be working today."
I snickered as I always did.
It was his version of "Good morning" almost.
This time, though, he insisted.
Laughing and playing our favorite games with a small group of my closest friends.
The next morning four of us woke up extra early to take my friend to class and drop me off at work on the way. My car was broken (again). It was either get up at 5am or take the bus across town and still get up at 5am.
I, thankfully, did not have a hangover (I was so lucky back then) and I groggily walked into work hoping to catch a couple of winks before my work day technically started.
There was a co-worker who was always in early and he jovially greeted me with his usual "Go ahead and go back home. Doesn't look like we'll be working today."
I snickered as I always did.
It was his version of "Good morning" almost.
This time, though, he insisted.
"No, really, go home."
I was way too tired to deal with his joking so I waved him off.
He grabbed my arm, pulled me into our conference room where there was a TV on.
Right as I looked at the screen, the second plane hit.
I had never heard of the Twin Towers.
I watched mesmerized as the first tower fell and shortly after, the second one.
You could see the fight they gave before they finally just couldn't hold any longer and fell.
It was almost as if they were trying to hold on for the people inside.
It was a day, 24 hours, that I will forever remember clearly.
It still feels like yesterday.
My dad picked me up from work and drove me to my place. I begged my parents to come stay with me because they lived too close to the Air Force Base but they wanted to be home.
I went straight to my couch and watched every news channel I could to stay updated on what was happening. I was devastated even though I knew no one there. There was a huge sense of loss and plain shock.
The days following as a nation truly became united and stood as one was beautiful.
The days following that showed the darker side of fear as some people ostracized anybody resembling a Middle Eastern was saddening.
My family is part Lebanese.
My aunt was kicked out of a convenience store and called horrible names because she was a "terrorist."
My dad's car was spit on while he was pumping gas.
My family feared the ignorant people that didn't understand.
I'll always remember the unity.
I'll always remember the color gray, not as a depressing color, but as a color that made us one as we helped each other through the ash.
I'll always remember the bravery of our firefighters, our police officers, our paramedics, our soldiers and our "everyday" citizens that rushed to aid the fallen, the injured and the scared.
I'll always remember that missing the bus may not always be the worse thing to happen.
I'll always remember... NEVER FORGET
9/11/2001
I was way too tired to deal with his joking so I waved him off.
He grabbed my arm, pulled me into our conference room where there was a TV on.
Right as I looked at the screen, the second plane hit.
I had never heard of the Twin Towers.
I watched mesmerized as the first tower fell and shortly after, the second one.
You could see the fight they gave before they finally just couldn't hold any longer and fell.
It was almost as if they were trying to hold on for the people inside.
It was a day, 24 hours, that I will forever remember clearly.
It still feels like yesterday.
My dad picked me up from work and drove me to my place. I begged my parents to come stay with me because they lived too close to the Air Force Base but they wanted to be home.
I went straight to my couch and watched every news channel I could to stay updated on what was happening. I was devastated even though I knew no one there. There was a huge sense of loss and plain shock.
The days following as a nation truly became united and stood as one was beautiful.
The days following that showed the darker side of fear as some people ostracized anybody resembling a Middle Eastern was saddening.
My family is part Lebanese.
My aunt was kicked out of a convenience store and called horrible names because she was a "terrorist."
My dad's car was spit on while he was pumping gas.
My family feared the ignorant people that didn't understand.
I'll always remember the unity.
I'll always remember the color gray, not as a depressing color, but as a color that made us one as we helped each other through the ash.
I'll always remember the bravery of our firefighters, our police officers, our paramedics, our soldiers and our "everyday" citizens that rushed to aid the fallen, the injured and the scared.
I'll always remember that missing the bus may not always be the worse thing to happen.
I'll always remember... NEVER FORGET
9/11/2001
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