We will never forget

9-11-01 was by far, the WORST day in American History.  It was the day that Terrorism hit our home soil.  We were not prepared for it.  We were blindsided.  We were complacent.
That day will always be burned into my memory.  Drew was 5.5 months old.  I was still at Eastpoint full time.  I was the store manager for a level one (busy as hell) telecom store.  Drew was born on March 27, 2001,  I had taken the FMLA since his birth was a cluster fruck that resulted in lifelong damage to him. 
Anyway...I just got back to work after the FMLA in July, 2001.  I was getting back in the groove and getting used to the frenzied pace that was the Wireless industry in the early 2000's.
I got to work at 8:30am.  I made coffee and turned on the TV in the breakroom for my staff that would be trickling in..  I had heard on the way in, that a plane crashed into the World Trade Center Tower.  I thought 'how terrible!'  By the time I got to the breakroom, and turned on the TV, I saw the second plane hit the
WTC and thought 'that is no accident'.  One plane, maybe.  But TWO?!  No.
As my staff trickled in, confused by the news reports, I had to balance the knowledge that something big was happening. AND we had to operate the store, business as usual. The conference calls dictated me to.
Except there were few customers.  None, almost.  Everyone was glued to their TV sets.  Terrorism had hit our soil.  We had a conference call, and even tho all of us just wanted to flee to the comfort of our homes, with our families, I was instructed to conduct business as usual.  HMMMMMM.  We had never seen that kind of 'usual' in our lifetimes.
I ventured out to Chicken Shack to buy my staff lunch, all of whom were glued to the TV in the breakroom.  I just wanted to hold my 5 and a half month son, Drew.  All of us just wanted to go home and hold our babies.
I remember when I was driving to pick up lunch for my staff; the only planes I saw were from Selfridge ANG.  Military planes.  Speaking with Chris on the phone, he told me about the downed plane in PA and the attack on the Pentagon.  Unbeliveable.
When I finally could leave work and go pick up my baby, (thank God he was with family---Jim and Jen and the daycare kids--I thought, if the world ended right now, at least he is with ppl who love him)
When my work day finally ended, I took Drew home and hugged him like never before.  I prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed for this to be a mistake.  The weeks that followed showed it was no mistake; but a cslculated attack on the best country in the entire world.
I remember thinking: Why, God?  What is the point?  Why did you let my boy come into the world, fighting, if it was just gonna end?
Why, were the first responders going INTO a burning building, when everyone else was scrambling to get out?  WHY did a typical day for so many turn into a catastrophe?  Where were you, God?
I am not the only one who questioned their faith; I am sure.  But, my faith was proven to be stronger than ever when I saw the entire nation pull together to get thru this.
I wish I saw that more often.  I want to see it everyday.  Some days, I do.  I am hopeful to see it tomorrow.
I hope we never forget how we felt when evil entered our life. I pray that we are safe. I hope for the day that people can live in harmony--no matter what their beliefs.  I thank the US Military from the bottom of my heart, for everything you do to keep us safe and free.  I pray to God every day for peace.