I was leaving the gym when the first plane hit the first building. I saw the smoke on the news and assumed it was an accident.
Once I got home and checked my email, I thought someone had hacked into the CNN website because I kept receiving these email news updates that made no sense. Another plan hit the Pentagon. Another plane hit the 2nd tower.
I woke Debbie up once I turned on the TV & discovered it was all too real.
8 days later we flew from LA to JFK on an American Airlines flight. We went through with our plans to meet with a group about the possibility of starting a Mosaic in Manhattan. Before the meeting we walked the streets of Manhattan where there were signs of people missing posted on every pole and every fence. American flags were everywhere.
Where were you when you found out so many had lost their lives?
I remember being in my kitchen & washing dishes – thinking about our worship team music for that upcoming Sunday & looking froward to alone time since my 3 kids were in school by then…my husband called me from work “Hi baby, please turn your TV on…something’s happening at we can’t get more info here at work…they say one tower has been hit in New York…” The simple act of turning the TV on & the world was changhing forever before my eyes… All day i received phone calls from family and friends from Italy (where I am from) words of disbelief, sorrow, encouragement, anger, …things would not be the same anymore. We all hugged each other a little closer that day & learned lessons to last for a lifetime. I knew we had to change plans for our church that Sunday- as my Pastor’s call confirmed, the question was now ‘what do our hearts need in light of such an event…” I remembered again today one of the songs we sang “I don’t belong’ I found it on YouTube and played it several times this morning. Do you remember? I keep the hope in my heart http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFLGOBvE_q4
Here are some of the lyrics:
“It’s not home where men sell their souls & the taste of power is sweet.. where the weak R crushed by the strong, nations gone mad…I dont belong but while im here i live like i have nothing 2 loose- my Lord is gonna C me thru…I BELONG to …a kingdom where LOVE is the law…where dead men live & rich men give their kingdom 2 buy back a song…and we’ll all belong!
I was preparing to turn the TV off and out the door to my job when the first plane hit. I’d reached my work site when the second plane hit. As I approached my office, I learned of the third plane. Then, I realized; we must be at war; and with who. It was so confusing at work. Everyone everywhere were telling their story. Not much work got done initially because folk were glued to the TV. My little cousin Rodney Dickens was on the plane that went down on the Pentegon. Wish I had the time to elaberate with more details.
Some days latter, I penned a poem
Thanks for sharing your stories.
Novella, sorry to hear of your loss. If you feel comfortable, would you mind posting your poem or emailing it to me at eric@mosaic.org?