9/11 Honor & Reminiscence Thread: Where were you, what were you doing, how did it change you, if at all? [View all]

[littlemissmartypants]

I was making rounds at the hospital. The staff and hospital in general were eerily quiet.

It was like time stood still for hours as the details unfolded. Many staff members had far away looks in their eyes. Looks of concern that communicated a desire to stop working and call to check on loved ones.

Each patient that I visited, who was awake and lucid, was watching the news. It seemed like everyone was watching the exact same channel. The reports echoed down the hallways.

I remember one extremely upset lady in tears and having trouble breathing. She had been deeply affected by WWII and was just sure that her grandchildren were going to be forced to join the service and go to war. I tried to comfort and reassure her the best way that I knew how.

I honestly felt some of her same fears.

What did the future hold for us, I wondered.

After a few days, I found a flag pin to wear. Then, later, I started wearing an enameled pin in the shape of an apple that was red, white, and blue on my labcoat every day. For NYC, the Big Apple.

I put an American flag magnet on my car. Soon, American flags and other patriotic symbols were everywhere. On cars, houses, shops, jewelry, clothing. Everywhere.

It's difficult to think about how so many of us were forced to change.

Change goals, dreams, and senses of stability and security. The shock in the loss of the feelings of safety.

The monotony of the daily routine was erased by the fear of another unexpected disaster.

How the feelings of being untouched, undisturbed, trusting of almost everyone just disappeared in a single day.

All of the unnecessary lives lost on that day and every other day since as a result of it.

It was a day that never really ended, still living in my heart.

Where were you?

— (@2diamondeyes.bsky.social) 2025-09-11T09:19:38.091Z