Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion’s starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don’t see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it’s not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it’s always there – fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge – they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaking suspicion… love actually is all around.
Hugh Grant as The Prime Minister, Love Actually (2003)
Today it’s 9 years since 9/11. On Thursday at work we were talking about it “Where were you when you heard about 9/11?” I was at school, my manager was at his old job and my Aunt was still working at a local school. We were all in different places but something big happened that day.
I was about 3 or 4 days into Year 11 (Thank you Ally for correcting me!) and had been over to the music department to quickly speak to my Expressive Arts teacher about something we were doing in class. I got there and the other music teacher appeared and made a comment about the twins being hit or something like that – this never occurred to me as to what was happening – I figured that they were mid-flow of conversation as I walked into the class room.
I got in the car with my Mum and went to my Grandma’s house – it was traditional that on Tuesday we went round for tea.
I got there and my Aunt was sat on the sofa watching TV and my Grandma was sat in the room as well. They’d got the news on which was kinda strange as they usually had a quiz on or something like that, then I saw what was happening. My heart leaped into my throat and something in me wanted to protect my cousin.
Okay she was 7 at the time (she turns 17 in January!) and I’m sure she was well aware that something bad was happening and that I couldn’t really protect her but we went into the other room and started playing while everyone watched the news.
I’m not really sure how to end this post – I wanted to talk about what I was doing when I heard but I don’t really have anyway to sign off. I think the way to do is this two things:
Where were you?
and when you’ve commented, wrote your own post or what ever you to do today make sure you tell your family and friends that you love them – give them the biggest hug ever.
I was packing to go to university. I was at home with my dad and I just sat with him. Gobsmacked at what was happening.
I can’t believe it’s been 9 years. What a thing to happen in our lifetime.
I know it’s not the point of the post but I might correct you Han you were in year 11 not 10 I’m sure (based on knowing that someone else your age was in that year group!!)
Anyway, I didn’t hear about it until after school when my Dad was talking it over with my neighbour – no one had thought to mention what had happened to me by the time I asked them what they were talking about!
I also reminded my Dad the other day that just 5 months before hand we had been on the type of flight they attacked on the 9th September. Thank goodness he chose April and not September to go to America!
Thank you Ally! I think some days I would lose my brain if it wasn’t screwed in tightly!
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