09.11.09
Life’s twists and turns
So most people know I am a former government employee. I worked in “law enforcement” for lack of a better term. On Sept 11, 2001 I was in a government facility – and watched, as did we all, the attacks on our country. I remember every single moment of that day, from the same fear and anger for having been attacked, to the fear and sadness of realizing one of my dear friends, who worked at the Pentagon, was missing. She died that day – her body was not found, but her soul lives on inside of me and so many others she touched in her lifetime.
I will never forget how I just sat in a room – with so many others – and just stared at the TV. Part of me wonders – in this age of “too much information” of how things might have been different WITHOUT the news media… In a way, I wonder if it might have been similar to “War of the Worlds” and the radio broadcast that brought fear and terror into so many lives because people thought it was real. Imagine if only snippets of what was going on was available on the radio – the increased fear and mass panic that would have filled this country and beyond – perhaps much worse than it was. But I digress…
As I sat in a room, watching military people move about, doing their jobs, buildings being locked down, barricades being moved into place, assault weapons at the ready and more – I remember crying. Partly because I had not heard from my friend and also because of the loss of life I was witnessing.
As I sat, tears in my eyes, and sobbing quietly, I will never forget what happened next.
A military police “soldier” carrying a very large weapon and decked in full body armor walked by me and saw me crying. He bent down and put his hands on my shoulder and asked if I was OK and what could he do for me.. I was startled for a moment, as his weapon was a mere inch or two from my face – and said to him, “Please, you have so much I am sure you should be doing – the least of which taking care of me – crying like an idiot.”
He looked at me, wiped the tear from one of my checks and said, “This is why I am here – this is why we are all here – to take care of each and everyone one of us, so what can I do?” We talked for a few minutes and I told him that I could not reach my friend in DC on her cell, but he told me not to worry, that most likely all cells were swamped – don’t think the worse…
He stayed with me for another 5 minutes and we talked. By the end of it, I had composed myself, at least enough to ask if there was anything I should be doing.
His name is Jeremy and he was then, and is still now an, Air Force Military Police Officer. We stay in touch to this day. He saved me from letting fear over take me and reminded me, that as a human race – not just as Americans – there are much more important things than just “doing your job.” Even as he rushed to defend the facility I was at, against possible threats, he stopped and shared the “humanity” that is what makes us all the same.
The cowards that attacked us that day did not attack just Americans, they attacked “humanity” and tried to put fear in everyone.
I spoke to my mother yesterday about all the anger and ” mean spiritedness” going around this country and this world right now, and realized I needed to pick up the phone and call my friend. I did. We only talked for 10 minutes, but it did remind me of one thing – we are all of one race – the human race, and as silly and cliche as it sounds, we all bleed the same. Black, white, brown, yellow — asian, american, hispanic, middle-eastern, indian, or muslim, christian, mormon, it simply does not matter the color of our skin or the religion we believe or not, but what matters is saying hello to a stranger, or giving the homeless person an extra $1 (or 2 or 3) or helping a friend when they need you, or just being yourself and letting others bask in the glow of “you” and your energy!
This day brings back sadness to many and anger to some – but perhaps what this day should remind us the most is that truly, “love” is the weapon we should all wield – because it truly does conquer all…
Peace, love and light
Kat