Where Were You 6 Years Ago?

I've been trying to come up with something to write about for this day. Something profound or patriotic. But of all things I thought of this morning was the Alan Jackson song "Where Were You". You can look here to read the lyrics. But it made me think of how people who remember the Pearl Harbor attack talk about where they were when they heard about it or the Challenger explosion. So I thought I would keep this simple & just tell my memories of that day. And please feel free to leave comments & tell of your own memories of that day.

It was the beginning of my senior year at Bob Jones University. My Spanish class was at 9am & I remember not long after class started one guy in the class had a cell phone call. When our teacher gave him a look, he quickly turned off the phone. I didn't know him personally but knew he was from the D.C. area. Once class got out I walked to the next room for the Language Lab & I noticed this guy making a call. Didn't think anything else of it. So I spent about 30 mintues in the language lab, listening to spanish on tape, & then had some free time before chapel was to begin at 11. So I went to the library to check my email. I remember noticing how few people were out & about & thought that was odd. This whole time I still had no idea what was going on! Then I went to the FMA (Founder's Memorial Amphitorium) for chapel & met up with my friend Joy & she asked if I heard what happened. Of course I said no & she preceded to tell me that a plane flew into the World Trade Center. It didn't sound real; more like something from a movie. When Dr. Bob (aka Bob Jones II) came up to the platform he told us what they knew at the time which wasn't much, that there had been an attack on the WTC & the Pentagon. The whole chapel service was spent in prayer for our country & President Bush & for the people in New York City.

After chapel I went back to my dorm to do laundry (I always did laundry on Tuesdays & it was a Tuesday that day) & had a chance to watch the news in the snack room of Gaston dorm. Seeing those towers fall for the first time is something I will never forget.

That afternoon I had my cooking class lab & one of my friends in the class was also from D.C. & her dad worked at the Pentagon. I still don't know how she made it through that day because she had been trying to get in contact with her family & couldn't because the phones in her family's area were down. She did eventually talk to them & learned that her dad was safe.

The phone lines were tied up on campus, too, & I remember wanting to get in contact with my family just to know they were ok. Even though they weren't anywhere near NYC, I still just needed to hear from them.

And I'm going to just leave it at that. I think it's important to think back to even just what we were doing & feeling on that day. Please share your own stories.