As I awoke this morning, the first thing I did was turn on the TV and start watching all of the 9/11 Memorial coverage on the news. As I sat there mesmerized by all that was airing, I started thinking back as to where I was and what I was doing that day...the morning of 9/11/01.
I was on my way to work, freelancing at Marshall Field's. I was working on their 28 Shop Show (which is their designer show) that was supposed to be at the Museum of Contemporary Art. We were living in Chicago at the time. I was walking down Halsted Street on my way to the Red Line El train when my phone rang. It was my husband. He begged me not to go to work and to come home right away. I didn't understand what he was saying. Why should I go back home? What happened? Was something wrong with our baby? Our son was only 4 months old, and our sitter was there as my husband was working out of our house at the time.
He was trying to explain to me everything that was going on in New York City, but I couldn't comprehend it. Finally, I took his advice, turned around and walked back home. On the way, I called the Fashion Office at Field's and left a message for the other freelancers about my whereabouts and what I was doing. When I got home, my husband was standing right in front of the TV with the sitter and our baby. They couldn't take their eyes off of the TV. I looked at them then the TV, and found myself doing the same thing. We let our sitter go home and I called the girls again in the Fashion Office and begged them to go home, get out of downtown Chicago. They finally did so and by 12 noon, downtown Chicago was evacuated.
After watching the coverage for half the day, My husband and I decide to take our baby for a walk in his stroller. We lived so close to Lincoln Park Zoo so we started heading that way. Nobody was out. It was silent. It was creepy. We looked at each other, turn around and went back home. We got in our car, and got the hell out of the city and went to my parent's house in the suburbs.
We all know that our world, our lives changed that day.
And now, ten years later, my son is now ten years old. Today, he watched part of the 9/11 TV coverage with me. Then we went to church, watched part of the Chicago Bears football game, then went to his football game. My daughter, who is eight years old, is one of his cheerleaders. Yes, I know...how cool is that. Anyway, tonight as my son and I watched Sunday Night Football (Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Jets in NY), he started asking me questions about 9/11. He wanted to know absolutely everything from how the terrorists hijacked the planes to did everyone die on those planes.
I was so glad that he felt comfortable enough to ask me all of those questions, especially since he only knows life after 9/11. It was one of the best conversations that I have ever had with him. And I will never forget it, as I will never forget that day ten years ago and those who lost their lives that day.
Enjoy your life!
Lynn
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