9/11

Today has been 8 years since that tragic day... where does time go?!? So everyone always wants to know what you were doing on that morning when everything changed... here is my story...

It actually starts the night before... Harold and I had some argument about who knows what... whatever it was I was pretty pissed when I left his house that night. In the morning we had a Judo class at FIU. I remember parking next to Harold's car and giving him a meaningless kiss hello... I was still pissed off at whatever had happened the night before and was ready to take care of business on the mats...

The car next to me had their windows down and I heard them announce on Power 96 that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. We didn't think anything of it at that moment... we had just been to New York City that summer in July and had just stood on top of one of the buildings. I remember telling him how crazy it was that we were on top of a lot of the little airplanes passing by. We thought that one of those little airplanes had crashed into the building and it was probably just a little bump... how wrong were we!

When we walked into class there were people sitting around a little TV our teacher had brought out. Since we had already heard the news we got ready on the mats and started stretching and fighting. I remember totally releasing the stress of the night before on the mats and wanting to kick his ass. I don't know at what point the teacher finally said that we should "come and watch what was going on because history was about to be made right before our eyes..."

I think we watched the screen for about 2 minutes before the first tower went down. Everything was so still in the room... I don't think anyone took a breath... Then went the second building... at that moment I had no idea what any of this meant or how bad any of it could really be. I think I was walking to my car when I got a call from my mom... she was very quiet and asked if I knew what was going on. I said yes and then heard her crying... I remember asking why she was crying... All she said was that this was a very sad thing. That just goes to show how immature I was at 20 years old.

From FIU we went to Harold's house and watched TV for hours and hours and hours... I think it was sometime that night something clicked inside me and I said to myself "this is BAD" - I can remember that empty feeling inside and the sadness that took over my body. We sat on Harold's couch and he held me while I cried and cried to make up for all the tears I didn't know to cry. I remember telling Harold how stupid it was whatever we were fighting about the night before and that you just never know what is going to happen.... everything can be there one second and gone the next.

It was such a sad time... it’s so sad that it ever happened... but in all bad things there is that little piece of sunshine... I also remember being proud to be American and feeling closer than ever to family and friends... when I said "I love you" to my parents or my sister or anyone it was meant with real emotion. I was thankful to be alive and to have so much... these are the things we need to remember and never forget.

I'm attaching a video of a song that always takes me back to this time... I think it says everything that went through my mind at that time... enjoy...

I LOVE each and everyone one of you like I did that day and am grateful to have you in my life.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!