9/11, Ten Years Later

Ten years ago, I was eight.  

I didn't know much about death, destruction, or lose.  I had never lost someone close to me.  

Ten years ago, I woke up like any other day.  I got ready for school.

A little after 9 AM, my teacher ran out.  No one could understand what was going on.

People were crying, and I really didn't understand anything.  

Throughout the day, people left from my classes.  My friend burst into tears.  

His daddy worked in NYC.

Ten years ago, we didn't really no what was going on.

I left school early that day.  My mom wanted me home.

She explained what happened to me.

I cried and cried.

My dad used to work right next to the towers.  Two years before 9/11, he moved buildings.  I don't even want to think about what would have happened if he hadn't.

My friends daddy died that day.  His life, and the lives of thousands of other people, were never the same.

I live in central New Jersey, so NYC is my second home.  I'm there all the time.  My mom lived in that city for years while she was in school.  On September 11, 2001, as I drove home from school, I saw firetrucks, ambulances, and police cars from my town make their way to NYC to try to help.  I could see the smoke billowing in the sky in the distance from my porch.  

I can't believe it's been ten years already.  That day is still fresh in my mind.  Whenever I used to go to the beach as a kid, I could see the twin towers in the skyline.  Obviously, there's nothing to see now.  

Being so close to NYC, it obviously hit very close to home.  

The thing is, I'll never forget this day.  Never will I be able to.  I'll always remember the day when America changed.  Maybe we changed for the better.  We were suddenly closer and more patriotic.

It's been ten years since that day, but it feels like it was yesterday.

To anyone who lost a loved one on that day, I'm sorry.  They'll be in all of our thoughts and prayers forever.  

God Bless America.