"Remembering 9/11 - Ten Years Later" A responce.

Today I have an essay for you on the topic of 9/ll. I was given the Forward and the Introduction from Life magazine book, "LIFE One Nation: America Remembers September 11, 2001, 10 Years Later." I needed to write a response to both articles and include both a quote and a summery. I have mixed feelings about both the subject/assignment and my work. So, let me know on Facebook, Twitter, by E-Mail, or right here in the comments section below. Please enjoy.

Update: I have updated this to a second draft. Thanks go to my peer editors in my ENC class.

Remembering 9/11 – Ten Years Later*

     *Second Draft

     Ten years is a very long time. People, old and young, go through an astronomically large amount of events over the course of ten years. Young couples get married, the elderly say good bye to their family and friends, new children are born, and life goes on. For those of us old enough to remember that early morning in September of 2001, it is a day that many find unnerving to talk about. It was an event that changed the lives of everyone forever. The fact that this great and powerful nation was fiercely ambushed in the early morning took many by complete surprise and shocked everyone. As we glued ourselves to the television in anticipation of more strikes, we could only wonder what was in store for the United States and all of its citizens. After ten years, many things are different, and nothing will ever be the same again.

      During and after the attack, no one was more important then emergency first responders. These are the men and woman who risked it all to help total strangers. Firefighters that scaled the Two Towers, police officers that coordinated on the streets below, EMS and ambulance drivers shuttling the injured to local hospitals, and even the everyday person rushing to the hospital to donate blood played a vital roll in the recovery effort. These acts of selfless kindness are best described by the then-mayor of New York City, Rudolph Giuliani, “In the aftermath of this unimaginable tragedy, New Yorkers, and all Americans, have united as never before. Inspired by countless examples of courage and generosity, we have met the worst of humanity with the best of humanity.” Living in Florida at the time of September 11^th, I still remember local veteran firefighters and EMS workings traveling to New York to assist area first responders with relief such as handing out supplies and working in mobile first aid clinics. Actions like this is what makes us American, and in the long run, makes us better human beings.

      September 11^th is now an important day in American history. The United States had never been attacked directly by another country before September 11^th. Writing in the magazine LIFE, Tom Brokaw recounts the morning of September 11^th. From the time he is awoken by a phone call asking him to report to the Today Show studio, Tom reported with Matt Lauer and Katie Couric throughout the day covering all of the days events. Tom states that, “September 11^th, 2001, will always be a date in bold print in future history books. How it will ultimately be remembered is for the rest of us to determine.” What Mr. Brokaw is trying to convey here is that September 11^th is just as important to American history as the Attack on Pearl Harbor that occurred in December of 1941. Both were attacks on American citizens that culminated in War with another nation. As with the Attack on Pearl Harbor, many of the survivors and spectators of September 11^th have personal stories telling where they were or what they were doing at the time of the attack. Especially for the younger generation of children who were not alive in 2001, the telling of personal stories is a fantastic way to share and educate about September 11^th.

      As with Tom Brokaw and Mr. Giuliani, September 11^th was an emotional day of events. I was fifteen years old and in my forth week as a freshman in high school. After a month of homework, studies, and association with new acquaintances, I found myself quite acclimated to the philosophy of high school life. While I was sitting in first period, the neighboring teacher from across the hallway barged in and told my teacher to switch the TV over to CNN. Being fifteen years old, I found it quite difficult to grasp the gravity of an event like September 11^th. I remember it being like a cluster of thoughts and ideas rushing through my head at a mile a minute; focus was all but lost by this point. Throughout the day in each and every classroom, the teachers were huddled together discussing the event with other teachers and select students. The students, left to their own devices, calmly sat at their desks also discussing what the impact of an attack like this would have on their own lives. After school the bus ride home was the same; everyone talking about what had happened earlier in the day. It was like my life was a CD set on repeat. I would walk into a room and that same old song would be playing. My family had dinner at the table later that night, something that was not accomplished with ease. Trying to fall asleep that night was like being a five-year-old all over again, not so much because fear of what was in the closet or under the bed, but the fear that my homeland could become a war zone, or worse.

      September 11^th will forevermore be a daunting subject in the eyes of all Americans everywhere, but we will persevere. Even now, we have built a monument at Ground Zero dedicated to the heroes that gave their lives, asking for nothing in return. We will never forget about the lives that were lost on that horrible day. Tom Brokaw said, “Some wounds never completely heal, the scars never disappear, the grieving never ends.” Although I have nothing personally to grieve about, ten years later, I couldn’t agree more with that statement. May this be the last great tragedy we see in our lives and may we always strive for world peace.

Zackary Bruley ©2013

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.