'We Will Never Forget'

Someday, in a million years, I will have children.

And at some point they're going to ask me about this day.

What were you doing, mommy? Where were you?

I've asked similar questions of my mother, about the moon landing and the JFK assassination, even the fall of The Wall.

I was really young during the Persian Gulf and Desert Storm. All I remember is night vision flashes on TV and yellow ribbons tied around trees.

But not this time.

Tuesday, September 11, 2001.

Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa

I had an 8am class. The only 8am class I ever had in college. Finance 361, Risk Management & Insurance.

8:46am, 7:46 CDT, I was having breakfast in the dining hall when the first plane hit.

9:03am, 8:03 CDT, I was walking to class, already running late when the second plane hit.

9:43am, 8:43 CDT, American Airlines Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon
10:05am, 9:05 CDT the South Tower collapses.
10:10am, 9:10 CDT United Flight 93 crashes in Pennsylvania, and part of the Pentagon collapses.

I had class until 9:15. I still have the notes from that day.

10:28 am, 9:28 CDT, I went to a computer lab to check email and maybe play some Yahoo! Pool . . . maybe homework, but those details escape me...

10am CDT, I had a math class. Linear Algebra I think.

11am CDT, I arrive at my Accounting 284 class. It's in a large lecture hall with a balcony.

The teacher is frantic. She's crying. I had no idea what was going on, neither did everyone else.

For those of you that haven't heard, there's been an attack on New York.

She went on to tell us that her mother lives there.

But she's ok, I talked to her. She said she saw the whole thing. Go home, all of you. We'll worry about homework and class work later.

It was surreal.

I left in a daze, could this really be happening?

I don't remember walking back to my dorm.

Big O told me that campus was quiet that morning.

When I got back to Friley, everyone had their TVs on, their doors open.

Wide-eyed stares, people crying. I heard my roommate on the phone with her parents.

It made me feel helpless and disconnected.

I was in my own little world of Iowa State, I didn't read 'real' newspapers very often, even though they were free and all over the place. I had no idea what was going on in the outside world.

The whole thing didn't seem real until I actually went to New York City in July 2004. When you see the skyline in person and how there's a hole where the Towers used to be. This is where it actually happened, it wasn't just something I saw on TV.

I didn't personally know anyone that was there, but it sill makes a lump rise in my throat and my eyes tear up when I think about it.

We all lost some innocence that day and it should never be forgotten.

What will you tell your children?