This, I think, is the MOST important day to have your flag out. Obviously, it is important to have it up on other holidays, not the least of which being July 4th. But to have it up on 9/11 is as if to say, "We will not be intimidated. We will not be defeated." It is to remember those who lost their lives 7 years ago in that most senseless and horrible act.
7 years ago I was working at 100 North LaSalle in Chicago. I walked into work and the receptionist asked me if I had heard what happened. I had been on the el so I hadn't. We all crowded around a small black & white portable tv and watched Peter Jennings tell the horrible tale of what was unfolding before our disbelieving eyes. They kept interrupting people they were interviewing to bring you new info. They had a split screen showing the live action and the other half showing Peter Jennings. Through the black and white static I saw the first building fall. I thought it was strange they didn't interrupt anyone to tell us it had fallen. As soon as I asked my co-workers "did that building just go down?" Peter Jennings announced that it had.
When the bosses got in we all moved up to the loft on the top floor of the building and we watched the rest of what was happening on the big screen. I sat there on the plush carpet of the 26th floor, and tears streamed down my face as the second building fell.
After that we hurried to go floor to floor with our bull horns telling all the tenants they should evacuate the building. Once all 24 floors had evacuated, we returned to the 25th floor and were told we should get out immediately because there were unaccounted for planes and it was thought one could be headed for Chicago. We debated whether we should take the el with the chance it could possibly stop or get stuck or pooling our money to take a cab that could be sitting in traffic for hours. We opted for the el.
As we left, I remember watching the skies and thinking how insane it was to think that seeing a plane in the sky would have been, at that moment, the scariest thing I could have ever seen in my life. There were no planes.
I couldn't get a hold of my boyfriend who was working right across from the Hancock building (the 2nd most famous building in Chicago). We were all scared. As the days passed and details unfolded we were all dumbfounded. As years pass, the memories fade and the fear subsides. But let us all remember that day, even if only on its anniversary. Let us all put our flags out. Let us all say thank you to those who died trying to help. Let us all thank God that we continue to live free.
3 comments:
I couldn't not post today. The feelings come back when you recall what you were doing and how you felt at the time. I am so happy to say we actually saw a lot of flags on the street. Good job teaching Finn, that is part of remembering after all...
I asked a mom of a boy scout. They didn't do the flags because it wasn't a Federal Holiday. (Also it was a weekday and the scouts all have school)
Hubby had a good thought would we really want it to become a federal holiday because then we would be buying tvs on sale and they would move it to a Monday anyway. I think it should stay on the 11th and people should be able to respect it in there own way and pay tribute the way they feel is appropriate. We did have the discussion with Thomas and showed him the picture of him in front of the TV when he was like 9 months old.
It was very strange to not see a plane in the sky in SLC very strange.
Our boy scouts were out doing our flags in full force.... 9/11 is called Patriots day here and while it is not a federal holiday our local schools and organizations make it a memorable holiday.
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