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The Day the World Changed Forever
9/11
It’s a surreal sensation that I can perfectly retrace my steps beginning with hearing the shocking news from a classmate passing by me near the doors of the second floor of my high school’s library. He said a plane had hit one of the World Trade Center towers. Confused, I continued to my math class around the corner, walked in and looked up at the television screen in the top left corner like everybody else as I made my way to my seat. There was a giant fiery and smoky hole in one of the towers. Black smoke was billowing out. We had no idea what was going on. I assumed it was a small plane whose pilot lost control. An accident for sure. But as I settled in for a few more moments, I realized the hole was far too large for such a small plane.
It started to register this was no accident.
September 11, 2001 is a day in which those who lived through it will remember forever. It was a tragedy fueled by panic and fear, as well as the pressing questions of why, how, what and who? However, it was also a day that showed us what true heroism looked like with police officers, firefighters, emergency personnel and everyday citizens helping each other through the debris of a literal hell on earth situation that September morning in New York City, Washington, D.C. and aboard a plane that crashed in Pennsylvania and during the dark days that followed.
There aren’t enough words to properly describe and remember the events of September 11th that occurred thirteen years ago. But two words continue to represent an overarching sentiment for us all, on this day, 9/11:
Never Forget.
The Clarity of Randomness
It was one of the clearest blue skies I’ve ever seen. I’ll never forget it. I just remember gazing up at this infinitely blue sky, wondering what the hell had just happened. The sight was so serene and beautiful, but confusingly overwhelmed by a new, sinking feeling. This was the same sky I had flown through on countless trips and vacations with my family. It was familiar, welcoming and exciting.
That was until it happened.
It was September 11, 2001 and I was standing in a park surrounded by a bevy of soccer fields in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. It was late afternoon and the after-school sports and activities had apparently been cancelled. I was a sophomore in high school at the time. I just looked up, alone, speechless.
I knew the world had changed, but for how long? In that instance, I hadn’t a damn clue, but I knew it had changed in a very, very big way. I could feel it.
This post is not meant to relive the horrific nature of that day. But yes, today is a random day in February almost 13 years later. This all started because of a partially covered drawing on the left side of the glossy cover for Departures Magazine (as part of a cover story in the form of a comic strip) of skyscrapers and the bluest of skies with the text “11:30 A.M.” peaking out from a stack of magazines on my desk at work. This was coupled with the fact I was listening to the Zero Dark Thirty soundtrack on my computer (around the 34 minute-mark). This flashback came to surprising fruition. It forced me to contemplate how a moment that lasted only seconds can have such a profound and lasting impression in my mind that experiences something new every single day.
However, that day changed everything.
Even with resolution in the form of a spectacular Seal Team Six raid that killed Osama Bin Laden nearly a decade after 9/11, New York City has never felt the same. Millions of people (myself included on several occasions) have had great, unforgettable times there for sure! But something still lingers in the air, supported by an eerie permanence.
Strangely enough, this random vision has provided me with clarity. Each thought provided me with a clear focus and reasoning for why I thought what I did and how I should approach things from this point on. For a brief instance, everything seemed uncomplicated. If for nothing else, maybe this post can serve as a gentle reminder that we don’t need to wait for an anniversary or a specific day or occasion to remember and think about something important. It doesn’t need to be sad, but it can be something positive and astonishing. That same illustration has also pushed me to try to look at a clear blue day with only optimism, even while knowing in the back of my mind that it only takes a seconds or a matter of minutes for something drastic to happen.
Perhaps the drastic situation will be something positive the next time that perfect, clear blue sky arrives…
Whatever causes a comparable reaction for you as the illustration and music did for me this Wednesday morning, don’t ignore it, but instead embrace it. Life is lived in long acts and short scenes…just be sure to bring some sort of purpose to each one.
Maybe this is one of the reasons why we love watching the Olympics so much, to witness a performance or moment of pure, marvelous purpose.
For so many athletes and spectators alike, it’s much more than just a single event or game that motivates and inspires them and us…
12 Thoughts on 9/11
Twelve years ago, two hijacked airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center Towers, a third hijacked airplane crashed into the Pentagon and a fourth hijacked airplane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania on a clear, unassuming September morning. The world was changed forever.
I was walking through the second floor of my high school’s library when I heard a fellow classmate of mine since elementary school say, “a plane just hit the World Trade Center” to someone near him as I strolled by towards the doors to the hallway. I could tell that while he said it as if it was probably an accident, he also knew it was something more…Confused, I initially hypothesized a small plane had accidentally flown too low and hit one of the skyscrapers. Once I walked into my math class and saw the images on the television screen hanging in the front left corner of the room that every single person was fixated on, we all knew something truly terrible had happened. It was no accident. Then, soon thereafter, the second plane hit. The United States was under attack and nobody could believe what their eyes were seeing.
Reflecting on what occurred on that morning, I have prepared 12 thoughts regarding what happened and what transpired on September 11, 2001:
Nobody saw it coming and our heart’s sank as the smoke billowed out from the towers
Everyone rushed to a television in shock, watching a nightmare unfold without our eye lids closed so tight
Vast panic flooded the streets of New York, Washington, D.C. and those aboard the planes as a numbness started to paralyze those running and sitting in confusion, panic and fear
Each fireman, police officer and good citizen offered a helping hand as hell surrounded them all, giving a glimmer of hope to those experiencing the unimaginable
Real heroes emerged that day, sacrificing everything for their fellow man, woman and child
Forever etched in our memories, that morning changed the world
Our accidental glances up into a clear blue September sky will never again look completely peaceful or tranquil
Rebuilding our hearts takes time, but we make sure to always take pause on this day
Good people never returned home and that’s a vacancy and pain the entire country felt then and feels today
Even as we mourn, we must also know that in the darkest of places can rise a sign of optimism, like a cross standing strong amongst the rubble or the brave words, “let’s roll”
True heroism and courage is quietly honored today, combined with the overwhelmingly emotional reflection of the entirety of what transpired on September 11, 2001
9/11 will always be remembered…always
A Declaration of Pride
Walking around Crew Stadium on September 11, 2012 before the World Cup Qualifier against Jamaica was a surreal experience. After 9/11, MLS had sewn a patch onto every players jersey to remember the events of that fateful day. Exactly eleven years later and it’s impossible not reflect on what happened on that seemingly perfect September morning. Perhaps it was fitting that U.S. soccer decided to schedule a game on this day because they knew that people would put their American pride on full display. We all did and it was a spectacle.
A special tribute occurred from the 9′-11′ when fans were asked to stand (already doing so) and wave their flags given to us at the gates. It was an especially patriotic two minutes.
While this was not my first U.S. Men’s soccer game, the sheer sight of American jerseys, shirts, pants and flags in all directions made it a special night. Crew Stadium became the epicenter of an outspoken patriotism at its best with kids and adults alike sporting and chanting their love of America. Hearing speeches from our leaders is one thing, but seeing and hearing it from our friends, family and total strangers is when commitment and dedication to one’s country is shown and felt.
Checking out the merchandise tent is always a fun experience. One of the biggest grabs, a red and white horizontal striped jersey, was debuted earlier this year and remains extremely popular with fans today. To the casual eye, it does bear a striking resemblance to the shirt made famous by a constantly hidden gentleman who goes by the name “Waldo.” Before you judge though, take a look at what it looks like on a cute girl and your preconceived notions may take a full 180. It’s a sight alright.
Throughout the 90 + minutes, it was actually difficult not to look away from the action and take in the panoramic views of the stadium. Flags were waving, fans chanted, “USA-USA-USA!” and virtually nobody was sitting in their seats during either half. It was a textbook atmosphere for a game involving the U.S. Men’s soccer team. The ‘beautiful game’ had a beautiful environment.
In the 55th minute, Herculez Gomez made the atmosphere electric with a perfectly placed free kick. “Hercules! Hercules! Hercules!”
The Associated Press
During the second half, I peered to the row behind me that consisted of five girlfriends in matching striped jerseys (this is the ‘cute girl test’) and it truly is a cool shirt in a crowd. Not too much later, a screen shot on the scoreboard featured a man in the aforementioned jersey standing next to an American flag at a past game. Turning to the person next to me, I said, “Look at how cool that looks…the jersey next to the flag.” She replied, “Wow, that does look cool.” A eureka moment was born.
The U.S. Men’s National Team currently wears the red and white striped jersey. Assuming they qualify for the next round, I have a proposal for a new jersey.
Dear Nike,
Please design a dark blue jersey (same color as on the flag) decorated with white stars.
This way the two jerseys 1. Red and white horizontal stripes & 2. Dark blue with white stars would complement each other to form the American flag. The home and away jerseys would be called, “The Stars” and “The Stripes” respectively. Furthermore, during home games, sections of the stadium could be coordinated by the two jerseys to form an actual flag along each of the sidelines.
Sincerely,
Jimmy Lentz
Forget the beauty pageant sash from 2010. Let’s not just play against our opponents in red, white and blue, but instead go to battle with Old Glory herself.
Just imagine our guys standing in “The Stars” or “The Stripes” singing,
O say can you see by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Jimmy's Daily Planet 