9/11 Seven Years Later

Today is September 17. It's been almost a week now since the 7 year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. I meant to write a little something last week, but didn't get time. It almost feels like it was so long ago, yet at the same time it's an event that is still constantly on many people's mind. An event that was unimaginable to many. I can still remember where I was, what I was doing and how I found out that day. Without even having to think back, I know that the date fell on a Tuesday. Tuesday is when new music usually gets released at the stores. At the time, I was still on Summer break from UCLA. Our break was about to end in a few days, since we usually went back to school in mid to late September, a bit later than other universities. On that day, one of my favorite bands, Ozomatli, was set to release a new album. Ironically, the CD was called "Embrace the Chaos". So I woke up excited that day, looking forward to getting the new CD. As I woke up, I turned on the TV. And that's when I saw it. All the chaos that was striking our country that day. That was the moment when so many things changed.

I can't really express the feelings that were going through me that day. Needless to say, I never left my house that day. The CD I wanted suddenly didn't seem important anymore. I did go out and get it later that week. Then a few days later I returned to the Fall quarter at UCLA. Life had to go on as normal, despite the fear and anxiety that was going on. Every plane that would fly over a bit too loudly would have me looking up. Everytime my bus drove between the tall Downtown L.A. buildings, I couldn't help but think back to the images on TV. It was all a new feeling. I was never one to be naive and believe that life in the U.S. is 100% safe from attacks. But I also never imagined I would witness something this tragic, albeit through images on TV. Still, it was a scary time. I can't imagine what it must've felt for the people in/around NY. Ground zero, especially. To know that it was their own city that faced the major impact of the attacks. I don't know how I would've coped with that. Would I have been as strong as so many people I saw in the news?

It's a bit strange to know that there are actually people that really don't know about 9/11. Little people. The kids that were still very young around that time. J, who's a teacher, was telling me about how many of his students had honestly never seen the images of what had happened that day. I guess it must be different, seeing something that happened either in the past or when you were to young to remember, compared to seeing something that happened in your lifetime and you remember that exact day.

So my heart goes out to all the people that were personally affected by this tragedy. I know that with time, many emotional wounds will heal, but of course the people and the heroes of that day will never be forgotten.