September 11, 2001

I was 17 years old, a Freshman in college, literally the first time I had lived away from home in my entire life. It was a Tuesday. I didn't have class that morning. I was at my computer, playing Snood and listening to music. My mom called me on her way to work. She said that she was listening to the radio and something was happening in New York City. I switched the TV to a news channel just as a plane hit the second tower.

"Mom, what's happening?"

My roommate had class that morning. This was before the constant social media we have now. She walked into the room and glanced at the TV. "What on Earth are you watching?"

After reading the other blog posts and comments on Facebook and Twitter, I consider myself fortunate. I didn't know anyone in New York City at that point. But also, I was old enough to remember a time before this tragedy struck our nation. I had a childhood free from terrorism. There is a generation who doesn't have this luxury; they have lived their entire lives with the fear that has been instilled in our nation ever since that horrible day.

I'm now 27 years old. Married to a man who is a SGT in the U.S. Army, who has been deployed to a country for a war that this attack started. All of our lives have been forever shaped by that day, now matter where you were in 2001.