9-11 10th

10 years ago today, devastation hit a country as two airplanes hit two buildings.
In this post, i plan on sharing my 8-year-old version of the story.

Tuesday morning. i wake up, i put on my clothes (skipping the shower because i hated them as a 4th grader), i go into the kitchen in our little duplex and i put some Eggo waffles in the toaster. I get out the peanut butter and the knife and all of a sudden, i hear the tv in the living room turn on. We never had the tv on because it would, without fail, make me late for school.
Mom and Dad are watching the tv. The start shouting. What? It's not a football match, we never watch those. I have no idea what's going on. So i walk into the living room, risking my being on time, to find my parents' eyes glued to the television. I take a peek and see show with a couple tall buildings and some smoke. I remember asking "what is it?" and mom just said "look!" and i looked and it just looked like a bunch of special effects. Why are we watching a movie in the morning?
[something along the lines of] "This plane just crashed into the Twin Towers!" my mom shouted. I couldn't comprehend. it still seemed unreal. fictional, even. I went back into the kitchen thinking things like "I don't understand what the big deal is about this..." and then a scream - the second plane had crashed into the second building. I went back into the living room and saw the plane smash into the building. they showed it at least 3 times while i was in there. I'm still thinking "fictional. it's a movie. this isn't funny, even. ugh."
I ate my waffles and packed up my backpack and walked to school [i'm pretty sure.. i usually did so i don't see why i wouldn't have..].

It wasn't until my teacher turned on the tv in the classroom and explained to me what happened and the moment of silence initiated by the president that it occurred to me how different things would be - how extreme the situation really was.

It was only a few months (or was it weeks? or years? well it was for sure a while after 9/11) that i was driving around SLC with my family, looking up at what i knew to be tall buildings [now i realize that they're nothing compared to New York, but remember, i was 8] that i asked my parents "Are we gonna have to go to war?" of course we were. I'd learned about wars in my class, but i don't think i could comprehend that it was a real thing. All history was just stories. This is when the world became real to me.

And now i'm living on my own and i live in the real world daily. From 8 to 18, i'm in the real world and it's alright. Every day i'm finding out new things and learning more about myself. and it's all fun.
Love, Ellen
p.s. i broke 600 pageviews!