Fiscally Chic

Remembering 9/11

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9/11/01. Where were you? I was a senior in high school. I distinctly remember being in AP Calculus B/C when the announcement came over the PA. Being in a Catholic school, the entire school dropped everything for prayer. After that, we were glued to the TV in class.
I remember wondering if my aunt was OK. Sitting on the floor in the senior hallway, crying while talking on the phone. My aunt lives in New Jersey, but works in New York City. Thankfully, she was safe.
September 11 is also my Dad’s birthday. I remember eating German Chocolate Cake while watching the news. I was in a daze and couldn’t believe that something  this horrible could happen on a day that should be happy.

That weekend, my Dad and I were planning on flying to St. Louis to visit the campuses of Saint Louis University and Washington University in St. Louis. Flights were grounded, so we decided to make the 9 hour drive. If we hadn’t, I might not have gone to SLU or met John.

In 2006, John and I went to NYC for spring break and stopped by Gound Zero. There was a note on the fence that said,

“You can destroy our buildings, but you can’t destroy our foundation.”

Beyond all of the horror and pain, we must remember those who lost their lives, love the ones we have with us, and move beyond the fear. We must be people of peace and hope.

In Mass this morning, we sang “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace,” which is the prayer of St. Francis.

Make me a channel of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love,
Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord,
And where there’s doubt true faith in you.
Make me a channel of your peace:
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope,
Where there is darkness, only light,
And where there’s sadness, ever joy.
O Master, grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved, as to love with all my soul!
Make me a channel of your peace:
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
In giving of ourselves that we receive,
And in dying that we are born to eternal life.

My prayers are with all the friends and families that lost loved ones in the events of 9/11/01.

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  1. Hailing from New Jersey, 9/11 hit so close to home. I was a sophmore at Penn State and on my way to class when I saw the TV. I thought it was a movie playing, so I didn’t pay it any mind. When I got to class, I heard from the teacher what had happened. Class was cancelled and I immediately rushed home to call my dad. He worked in the city and I was scared as hell that he was harmed. Luckily, he was on the other side of town, but so many were not so lucky and so many lost their loved ones that day. We are moving on, but we will never forget.