9/11 anniversary

10 years ago I had just finished an internship for a financial service firm doing research on brand/logo consistency. It was an incredible experience where I learned the ins and outs of the stock market, found a love for marketing and advertising, and got my first lesson in fashion. I knew I was in trouble when my boss (a male) asked me what shoes I would be bringing to New York to present my research. Though I still get excited that fashion week is happening in NYC as we speak, if you've seen me lately, you know that fashion is the furthest thing from my mind. I learned quickly that big city dreams would never mesh with a small town heart, but when my boss flew me out to New York to present my research I fell in love with the city. After some craziness with our hotel, he put us up in the Millenium Hilton right across from the World Trade Center. It was incredible to wake up and look out our window in the morning staring straight out at the twin towers. Walking through their underbelly, using them as a guide to navigate the city, and seeing them grace the skyline from across the harbor were all breathtaking. However, back home a few odd months later, as I was coming home from work, my breath was literally taken from me. A usually bustling dorm floor was strangely quiet. All the doors on the floor were open, but where there was a usual flurry of girls trying to get ready for the day or heading off to breakfast, everyone was crammed into single rooms staring at their TV's. No one could quite understand what they were watching. As I watched the second tower fall, I couldn't help but wonder if some of the very people I had worked with just months earlier were okay. It is hard to believe that 10 years have passed and that in one short morning so many lives were lost or forever changed. However, what everyone says is true...gone, but not forgotten. This is one day that I am thankful to not be teaching this year. With most of my students being mere kindergarteners on this day 10 years ago, I am unsure what I could say to them to help them understand the impact of this day. I have explained this day to my daughters in attempts to help them understand, but know that anything that is said to them is merely scratching the surface. My heart goes out to all of those who are still grieving the loss of their loved ones. I cannot begin to understand their pain.