A somber day; every Anniversary of 9-11.
Sophomore year of college I returned from my
work study job in the Department of Community Service to see a friend of mine, Molly curled up on the couch, tears rolling down her face as she stared at the TV. I told her if the movie was so sad she should turn it off. "It's not a movie," she said, "it's the news." Dumbfounded all I could muster was, "What?" and the vigil on the couch grew every time someone walked by. Classes were canceled and we were left with not knowing what to do. Despite this crisis a good friend of ours woke up a year older with this as a present...for the rest of his life. What is it like to be a 9-11 baby? That year it meant birthdays from then on would be different or celebrated on 9-10 from now on. It seems trivial to make a big deal of 9-11 being your birthday, but is it? Isn't life filled with little things that make life happy, like looking forward to and celebrating your birthday?
Nothing was the same after that day. We lost our innocence and were awoken to the reality that we weren't alone. There were people to fear, despite the fact we left our dorm rooms unlocked and walked across campus at all hours alone, sporting only pajamas and a smile. The world changed for everyone that day, but specifically for a bright eyed 19 year old that just wanted to help people and volunteer for a living. The building I had been inside only a year prior during our Senior Class Trip now not only didn't exist, but was a place of terror, fear, and horrific things I cannot imagine.
We remember 9-11.
(and we continue to Celebrate 9-11 birthdays, only now on the 10th)
Happy Birthday Mattie and Rob
