9/11

This post was for a homework assignment. We were instructed to write about our first memories of 9/11 and how it has affected America today.

I was only 10 on September 11, 2001. I was in class, doing the normal morning work. I remember my teacher leaving the room for a few moments, and when she came back, she was almost crying. We all got moved over to the classroom next door, where a TV was showing the planes flying into the Twin Towers. It felt like most of the kids didn't get the significance of what was happening; we knew it was bad, but it almost didn't seem real, and it didn't seem to affect many of us. The teachers were visibly shaken, and for good reason. It was only a year or two later that I started to grasp what had happened, and the significance of it on American history.

Watching the planes fly into the Twin Towers almost seemed like an action movie, with fire, people screaming, heroic firefighters. I certainly did not have even the slightest notion of how tragic these incidents were, and I remember several of my friends felt the same way. The question that remained in my mind at the time was not, How could this happen, but rather, How does this affect me? I didn't see the significance of 9/11 until I was older.

The most amazing thing to me about September 11 didn't happen in New York City, but rather in Pennsylvania with Flight 93. Several passengers were able to prevent another terrorist attack on a national landmark by banding together, and sacrificing their lives for the greater good. This story captivated me, and I was blown away by the heroism of these normal, everyday American citizens.

I think 9/11 has forever changed America. It showed us that we weren't untouchable; the United States was no longer "Superman." The amount of US patriotism that sprung up in the days, weeks, and months to follow was incredible, and it was so amazing to see a country come together. Even as a kid, I found it remarkable how many American flags were flying outside of homes and businesses. September 11 was a horrific event, but in a way, I think it made this country even stronger than it had been before.