The Day the World Kept Turning

Through my early morning grogginess I could hear the newscast. My brain was foggy and just before I moved to slap the snooze mutton I heard the following:

A plane has hit the world trade centre.

There were no details – just the phrase and it didn't make any sense in my sleepy head and I finally reached out to push snooze.

Ten minutes later, the radio alarm sounded again and this time I did wake up - Wake up to confusion – that is. The radio still had no details as I quickly got ready for my retail day. It was another time and place. Once ready I descended the stairs to the main floor of my dream house. I switched on the television to more confusion. It took the clues from the radio and TV for me to comprehend some kind of story of what had happened on that beautiful sunny autumn day of September 11^th, 2001.

I phoned Hubby who was working.....commuting weekly.....an hour and a half away. “A very bad thing has happened.” He said leaving a pause. “I can't talk right now.”

I called my parents after that.

I left for work at the Gateway Mall. Everybody was talking about what happened and trying to make sense of it all. Mall traffic was really low and sales were slow. The UPS man brought us our shipment and he gave us an update from the news. There was someone from the bookstore who brought in a printout from a Nostradamus book.

What you have to understand is that September 11^th has a different meaning to me. Yes, this was a horrific event in America's history and it left our souls forever changed. Yes, I felt immense sadness for the lives lost. Yes, it was incredibly shocking. But for me and my family September 11^th is a day of celebration. It is my Mom's birthday.

That evening at my parents house CNN was on TV and we kept watching the buildings fall. It was all so overwhelming. And here we were to celebrate a birthday. We turned it all off. We ceased talking about it. We opened presents and ate birthday cake just as we would on any other birthday.

Ever since I have mixed feelings on this date. This big bad event happened and amongst the sadness, remorse, and guilt we kept living. We kept living while other lives were abruptly halted. The world grieved as others lived. On that September 11^th, 2001 there were babies born, anniversaries celebrated and family birthday parties held.

Its just a date. A date that so easily could have been September 10^th or September 12^th.....but, no, it wasn't – It was my Mom's birthday.

This year, as we remember the anniversary of those lost in that terrorist attack, also know that for many the world did not stop.....know that it kept revolving.....and keeps turning.....on that beautiful autumn day.