9/11

In December of 2000, I flew back to LA from Chicago. I had spent the holiday at the home I grew up in. One memory I have was my brother sitting with me at the gate. We talked before I boarded the plane. I recall waving goodbye to him as I got on the plane. Then, I left for Los Angeles, and he left the airport and went home.

In 2000 passengers without a ticket could enter the airport and walk to the gate with passengers who had tickets. Family or friends could sit at the gate and greet you when you arrive and got off the plane.

20 years later, the airport and how we travel have changed. In August, my wife, son, and I flew back to Chicago. As we waited for our flight out of LAX, I heard an announcement that said, “ Only passengers with a ticket may enter and remain in the airport; if you don’t have a ticket, you are subject to arrest. In 20 years, entering an airport without a ticket became an activity you could be arrested for.We have this today because of 9/11. It has been 20 years since that day in September. The day the Towers fell, and planes crashed.A day of sorrow, pain, and loss.

I remember that day. I was engaged to be married, was living in Marnia Del Rey, California, with four other roommates, and teaching second grade.When I left for work, my roommate had the TV on, and we were watching smoke coming out of the Tower; the details were not all that clear.Once I arrived at work, I stood in the teacher’s lounge and watched as the Tower’s fell, stunned I went off to teach. To be honest I don’t remember what I taught that day.

Later that afternoon, riding home on the bus, it was so quiet, a different sort of quiet, every passenger was stunned. I was stunned.

The TV is filled with tributes, but they are hard to watch. Friday night, I flipped through the channels, and over a dozen 9/11 shows were playing, including one new station that was playing the footage from 9/11 as it was happening. After 20 years, so much has changed. I am married, have a child, no longer teach full-time in the classroom, and have been a school administrator for the last 15 years.

The children at my school only know of 9/11 from the history books, and even some of the staff were children when 9/11 occurred.

People are hurting today; the family and friends of those lost that day have a hole in their families and in their hearts. This day for them is not easy.

Why are the lessons that each of us has learned? It is a day of tributes, but it also is a day of mourning and lamenting. We all lost on that day.

I believe it is important to remember that there are people around us who are hurting. In pain today, be thankful if you have the day off to go shopping, out to dinner, or for coffee.

Consider yourself blessed if you have a life partner, children, and friends, don’t take them for granted. We all have the opportunity to live out our days and be of benefit to our communities.