Thoughts About 9/11

It's been quite a while since we've seen the anguish and pain that was suffered in 9/11 -- the tragedy that was. Grief, loss, and sadness may still be in our hearts, but we continue to be resilient and ever hopeful that someday this world could live in peace.

As a 14-year-old Filipino whose life was changed by an enormous catastrophe, I remembered where I was that fateful day. Studying for an exam that night (time here in the country was +12 hours from East Coast time), I was on my desk fiddling with my pen when my father called me to watch TV, that something had happened. I then viewed the screen with horror, as one of the two World Trade Center towers located in New York were up in flames. I sat there aghast, not believing what I had just seen. Minutes later, a plane swiftly crashed throught the South Tower, creating a massive hole. No, this can't be happening, I thought, as tears stream down my eyes. Then a report came that the Pentagon was hit by a hijacked passenger airplane. Is this the end of the world? Is this the start of the Third World War?

The second WTC tower collapsed like Lego blocks, forcing every piece down to the ground. And one side of the Pentagon fell apart. And a hijacked airline flight rammed through a field in Pennsylvania. And lastly, the incident that started it all, the North Tower of the WTC just came crashing down in a pile of rubble and bodies. The attacks were caused by terrorists.

What was a bright Tuesday morning in America became the darkest day the world has ever known at the start of a new century. The Manhattan skyline was clouded with smoke, ash, and soot. The World Trade Towers, once the symbol of strength and economic power, was now just a clutter of debris. The structure which took years to be constructed only took a few minutes to break down. Even the control center of the world's most powerful military was unimaginably attacked. The United States was again vulnerable to such cataclysm. But the only thing that kept rambling through my head was the innocent souls of every race and creed that were taken inconsiderately by the vicious terrorists. They woke up thinking it's another day of work, but they didn't think this day was to be their last. The people in the airplanes never reached their destination. A lot of them didn't have the chance to say their final goodbyes. Lives were lost, and dreams were shattered.

As days went by, I have heard a lot of stories from people who lost loved ones in the attacks. I was ultimately moved by those in the towers, making every effort to tell their relatives that they are all right, saying how much they love them iin the midst of panic and danger. It was just too touching. Even if I didn't know these people, I shared their loss. Their sacrifice and courage were truly unforgettable. In an instant, these mere mortals became larger-than-life heroes, whether they were government officials, firefighters, policemen, or civilians. There was an overwhelming sense of unity everywhere, as shown by the clips and scenes literally cascading from the television. It made me think that even the face of adversity, there is this bond that consolidates people into one mutual connection. That even in trying times there is always someone to lend a hand.

And after sorrow comes action. George W. Bush along with his war cabinet took full responsibility of the case at hand and made the strategic decision to bomb Afghanistan, the haven of the terrorists. In my opinion, it was a terrific job. It was success early on. Bush, whom I never thought could be an effective president, took my admiration on his handling of the crisis. But even after the Taliban was driven away and UBL's lieutenants have been captured, there is no certain time as to when this War on Terror will end. When I reached my 14th birthday last year, I made a simple but hard wish: World peace.

Before the start of my adolescence I was already interested in current events, but after this occurrence, I realized just how much of an advantage this particular passion was. Keeping close watch on the latest-breaking news, I became the source of information to my friends and family. 9/11 was the subject of my school theme papers, which led me to discover my creativity with the written word. Now, I am a Features columnist of my school's official publication, and my articles dealt with a lot of you-know-what.

Sometimes, it takes a big incident to bring forth the best quality in a person, and in my case it was writing. I poured a lot of my thoughts and opinion in my compositions. It became my soothing ground. I never really pursued it when I was younger, but after receiving encouragement and compliments from my colleagues, I'm confident to say I'm good at it now. The thought of becoming a journalist one day have crossed my mind several times already, but there's still a long time to make my mind up about the future.

One year effected greater awareness in me. One year made me think about living my life in a brighter perspective. I pray more often. I am still anxious up to this day, fearing the threat of another dreadful strike. But I shouldn't let this fear reign in my heart. We all shouldn't. We are brave enough to come past such an atrocity, and we are standing guard. As nations and as peoples, we have undoubtedly created a link so strong, so insurmountable that the terrorists will not have the tenacity to break it.

I remember that in the weeks after the attacks there came an old phrase, We shall overcome. It was the perfect adage to hold onto those gloomy days. In the most depressing moments there is still a glimmer of hope that tomorrow will be a better morning. No matter how hard the difficulties were, we can always face the challenges -- and as always, we can be able as more improved individuals.

While the impending danger on matters about Iraq still lingering, and the continuing terror alets looming along the way, we can only wish that this 1st anniversary would be a safer one.

We are protectors of democracy. We are defenders of freedom. And yes, we can overcome whatever it is that passes our way.

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Note:

* This article appeared in The Judenites, Sept-Dec 2002 issue.
(as Features Staffer)

** The essay has also been featured in the year 2002 in Democratic Underground and FreeRepublic in commemoration of 9/11.