Emotions swung on terrible day

September 11 shook an entire nation and left people traumatized at the horrifying incidents of that day.

Everyone has a story about when and where they were when this occurred, or a de-ceased loved one that they lost as a result of the attacks.

September 11 is a day that I will, without doubt, never forget.

I was just beginning a new school year as a fifth-grader at Holy Cross School in Albany and was excited to embark on a whole new learning experience, It was only the second day of school, and no one was prepared for the impending disaster.

I was in English class when the second plane hit one of the towers, and neither my classmates nor I were aware of the attacks at this point in time. However, when my principal walked in and asked to speak with my English teacher, Mrs. Smircich, we all knew something was going on.

My teacher walked back into the room with a terrified look on her face and darted to the television to turn on the Today show for further details.

Our entire class watched in amazement at the images before us. Although we were all truly frightened, most of us thought that it was just an accident, and that everything would be fixed soon enough.

Our teacher tried to explain to us what had happened, and many of us, including myself, started crying. We soon realized that this was not an accident in the least.

The remainder of the day was spent watching more attacks occur in places like the Penta-gon, and an attempt to destroy the White House that had failed and crashed in Pennsyl-vania.

I remember being scared, really scared. I wanted to know where everyone was - my dad, my mom, my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and pets. I did not understand why anyone would want to do this to people, and I had no idea what was in store for the future.

I began to get scared any time a plane flew over our house, and what used to be normal days at school were now days of fear and anxiety. I did not know what to expect anymore.

I began to wonder what I would do if it was my mom or dad in the World Trade Center that day, and if my family and I were still in danger. I quickly became very nervous when my mom and dad left for work in the morning.

I asked them to promise me that nothing would ever happen to them. When they told me they couldn't make that promise, it made me upset and overwhelmed with fright. My whole life changed, and things would never be the same.

I was young during this time, and naturally, I did not understand a lot about the world. Mostly, I didn't understand that, if God supposedly loved us, why He exposed us to such a catastrophe. Why could we not just live in a world where there was no violence, and no one made bad decisions, and everything was perfect?

I am much older now, and realize that God wants us to be free to choose our own routes in life. Even though a few of us may choose the wrong one, many of us will choose the right one. He wants us to live our lives knowing that, no matter what we do, He will always love us and be here for help and support whenever He is needed.

(11/16/06) [[In-content Ad]]