10 years later...

I’m late writing this post.  I didn’t forget.  I mean, how could you?  But rather, I found myself stuck.  Like staring at a blank page on the screen and not knowing what to say to express how I was actually feeling.

I’ve always had this pull towards New York City.  This unexplainable pull that has been around for years.  Longer than I even know.

Even looking back to that day.  It’s hard to think it was 10 years ago.

I remember when it happened.  I was a freshmen in high school sitting in my 2nd period english class (with a teacher who while I can’t remember his name, I do remember he looked like a lumberjack).  I left class and that was when the rumors began.  People were talking about a building or tower blowing up.  

My high school was across the street from a sewage treatment plant so we all thought one of the towers at the plant was what blew up.  Word continued to spread and by the next period or two, TVs around the school were turned on and we were all finding out what actually happened.

I remember feeling speechless and achy for what happened.  I remember being worried that Chicago would be next.  I remember having a hard time just taking it all in.  I remember feeling helpless.

I went home that afternoon, locked myself in my room and just wrote.  The only way I knew to deal with this was to put pen to paper, words to a page and just write.  When I was done I decided to send it to my local paper.  I wanted to share with anyone I could and hope that maybe I’d touch someone and help them know they aren’t alone.

So as I was sitting in front of my computer a few nights ago trying to figure out what to say, I realized I should just share the poem.  I got to share this poem with my community and make my family proud that I was doing what I could to help the people hurting.  But today, now 10 years later, I want to share this with all of you.  

We all know 9/11 is a day this country will never forget.  It’s a day where we will have a shadow following us around.  A day where we can’t help but think of those who lost their lives.  To the victims.

To All the Victims by Katie Arnold

To all the victims involved in this mess,

My prayers go out to you,

My heart goes out to you.

My tears how they fall,

They fall for the lives lost,

For all the families and friends,

Who are mourning this very day.

This day is a part of history,

we will remember it forever.

We shall never forget.

I will never forget.

My prayers go out to you,

my heart goes out to you.

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