Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – Where

~ John W. Howell

 

Photo by Aaron Lee on Unsplash

Today’s prompt. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “where.” Use it any way you’d like.

A picture of a string with drops of water- the logo for SoCS

Where by John W. Howell © 2021

Thinking of where I was 20 years ago today, the memories came back in waves. The producer and I were helping set up a fundraising dinner and night of entertainment. This was an event put on every year to benefit children’s charities in San Antonio. We had moved to Texas in 2000 and were volunteers for one of the charities.

In the morning, we were in the process of setting up the dining tables, and slowly the recognition that the Twin Towers and the Pentagon had been hit by an airplane became clear. The news was very spotty, but eventually, it was decided to cancel the event. This was no small decision since this one night pretty much supplied additional necessary operating funding for the charities for a year. It was only after returning home did the magnitude of 9/11 become apparent. Even though I was off for the day, I got a call to come into the office for an emergency meeting, so more time was spent away from knowing the total devistation of the situation.

That night all the information came together, and I’ll never forget the feeling of sadness for those at the Twin Towers, the first responders, those at the Pentagon, and the passengers and crews of the four airplanes used as weapons. Since that time, these attacks have taken their toll on the survivors and those tasked with the twenty-year fight that followed. It is sad to see the people who supported and aided this tragedy are now back in control of Afghanistan. I have to hope that our government never recognizes this regime as legitimate. Denial of the recognition that the Taliban desperately wants would be a real way to honor those who gave their lives in the fight against terrorism.

If you want to participate in Stream of Consciousness Saturday, visit Linda Hill’s blog and read how easy it is. Here is the link  https://lindaghill.com/2021/09/10/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-sept-11-2021/

 

 

56 thoughts on “Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – Where”

  1. That day is seared in my memory as well, as I had many colleagues in NYC at the time and more on the plane that set down in Newfoundland. An absolutely devastating day. Seems like only yesterday…😥

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  7. Well done, John.

    We lost a number of people (insurance brokers) who worked with our company. Men who had been in our office. Men I had worked with when developing new systems. One was a former coworker who left his job for a better one in NYC. Families and friends left behind will never forget – none of us should.

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  8. It seemed the world stopped turning on that fateful day. We all stopped, wherever we were. Horror captured us, wouldn’t leave. I visited the devastation the following month — to see my son and his family. The air still hung heavy with smoke and the smell of death. I cannot forget. It’s visceral for me. People need to ask what, what in God’s holy name, are we relinquishing in Afghanistan? Our country? Hope? Dignity? What are we doing?

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  11. It’s so sad John, all the dead from 9/11 and all the atrocities world wide before and since for what for the US and UK to pull out…. All the war dead, all the innocent civilians, nothing learned nothing gained.
    Sending you love and peace 💜

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  13. The full circle aspect of watching the Taliban retake Afghanistan is — I can’t find the word, distressing doesn’t begin to cover it. Maybe devastating? Today’s anniversary feels like a cruel reminder of everything we’ve been through in the last twenty years.

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  15. This was a day felt the world over. Like everyone who is old enough to remember, I know where I was, what I was doing, where I was going on that fateful day. I’ll never forget the day and when I see what’s going on over there, I am heartbroken. It feels all for naught.

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    1. I don’t think our dear President had an understanding of the situation in Afghanistan. He made a promise to be out by August 31st and no amount of logic or begging by our allies was going to dissuade his old, flinty, stubborn ass. I refuse to watch anything he had to say about 9/11. He owes the 13 Americans killed and those that lost their lives on 9/11 and since an immense apology.

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      1. I definitely don’t think he thought it through. Or that his team succeeded in making him understand the consequences of his decision. He does.
        This is such a sorry state of affairs.

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  18. Certain days stay with all of us. 9/11 is one of those. Good call on canceling the charity at the time. It was a time when normal life had to stop for a while to let us process the enormity of the tragedy.

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  20. Thanks for sharing and remembering, John. Our daughter had just turned 10 and our son was 6, both sleeping still. I had gone on an early walk with a friend and had just walked in the door when I saw my husband watching the news, shocked and teary-eyed. There are so many horrific images from that day that we would’ve hoped would only be in a horror film. I don’t know how the survivors moved forward, because everything is so unimaginable. And 9/11 does still feel like a very recent event. Unforgettable. I’m not surprised that your event was canceled.

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  21. Tragedies like 9/11 can never be forgotten. I feel so betrayed by what just occurred in Afghanistan and can only imagine what the soldiers must feel who fought on that blood-soaked soil. To put it bluntly, Biden betrayed America. I’m with you, John. I would not listen to anything he had to say about 9/11 because it’s all hypocrisy (and dare I say it – like all of government). I’m sick of it all!

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