There's a million of 'em on the blog lists today. I'm not going to repeat things that have been already said over and over.
I remember where I was. I was still working at the grocery store and was cashiering. We all kept taking turns going to the deli to watch the events as they unfolded.
But, what strikes me even more about that day is that I believe that's the day my mother decided to die.
Sure, she didn't die right away. But, there was despair in her voice when I called her that evening to see how she was faring with that kind of news. And there was a time in the ensuing weeks that she made the comment that she didn't want to live much longer because the world was going to hell and she didn't want to be around to watch it. She'd already lost a brother in WWII, and had lived as the wife of a soldier during that same war. I'm sure she knew many men who died in the war and saw the grief it had brought to families.
And this attack was on *our* soil. I think it was more than she could bear. She couldn't, or didn't want to wrap her brain around the possibility that she'd see more attacks on this country; she didn't want to think about the possibility that her grandson would be called up to serve, nor did she want to think about any of us getting hurt or killed while she perhaps lived.
If a person believes in predestination, than I think it's quite possible that she set into motion the events that led up to her eventual death the following February. More than once she commented that she hoped she wouldn't be around to see what happened because of the events of 9/11.
She got her wish. I wonder what she thought of in those post 9/11 days. I wish I'd have put my reporter hat back on and questioned her to get her thoughts. I doubt, though, that it would have made a difference to her - stubborn Irish had made up her mind that it was soon to be her time and there was nothing anyone could have done to stop her.
So, what it boils down to is though I have great sorrow for the national events this day remembers, what I remember even more is hearing her voice in despair.
Bless you, Mom.
2 comments:
The entire Western peace loving world will never forget that day, or where they were when it happened.
Such a poignant and wistful story about your Mom and that fateful time Kate. I wonder if our Moms have met in heaven? (((hugs)))
You know, Jude, it wouldn't surprise me at all. They probably meet for coffee! *hugs back*
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