Karyn you have me crying now also!! For I REMEMBER how I felt when I saw it, sitting in my living room in Germany. The horror and reaction that came over me by this tragedy was not any less as if I would have been in the US. You see, I have ALWAYS loved this Country from the first moment I set foot on it in -1975-. Mary that is really a memory I believe you right away that it puts it all in a very different light when you remember that day. Like everyone who personally knew SOMEONE from 9/11 Brenda I believe that we ALL are praying and hoping that it will never ever happen again!! I just know that if we would be able to do so, we would form a circle, lay our arms around each other and let the strength of our prayers and wishes go out to the world...for PEACE!!! Lucy

Peppi, this is such a tough time for you & your Dad. That first years goes by in a fog, one day tears, the next trying to be strong, then back to tears. Believe me, I understand & offer my empathy. My Mom's been gone for 39 years come September, an enternity. Dad left in '94 & my oldest sister in '04. We've lost both of DH's parents in the past 5 years. People here were so kind through that tough couple weeks, the trip to CO, hospice...yep, it's tough. Hugs to you, Peppi! /tricia

I was working in Arlington, VA where the Pentagon is located. We are basically across the highway from the Pentagon. We were having a regular work day. I think Glenda was the one that posted something here. I tried looking up CNN and all the other news websites but nothing was there yet. The only TV in our office was in the conference room which was being used. Finally after more commotion, we broke into the meeting to grab the tv and huddled into one office. We all watched in disbelief. We also thought an accident at first. There were so many rumors flying it was hard to know what was real. All day we thought the USA today (newspaper) headquarters was bombed down the road. We heard of car bombs at the Capitol and State Dept. After all the shocking things I had seen, I wasn't surprised by anything. We went outside where people were gathered around car radio's updating everyone. Weather-wise it was a gorgeous blue sky, but it was literally snowing ash from the Penatgon explosion. We could see the smoke plume from the Pentagon and it was black as night. Like pammyfay, I ALWAYS look at the spot where the Pentagon was hit. I can't imagine the people who happen to be driving by at the exact moment the plane hit. I'm shocked there wasn't a massive accident or pile-up? I remember being glued to the TV for 2-3 days and then I couldn't take it anymore. The sadness was overwhelming. I woke up each day and prayed it had been some kind of horrible nightmare. Thankfully I didn't personally know anyone who was killed, but there were lots of weird stories of "I should have been there" "changed my appt at the last minute" etc. and friends of friends, or cousin's cousin. A man from our office building, the floor below, was killed in the Pentagon. They put up a plaque in his honor that I used to see everyday and think about all the people who died that day. But with all the tragedy, I do remember how nice people were to each other. Everyone seemed to come together in common grief and pride in America. I can't believe it's been 11 years now.

Such a nice story, and congratulations on 50 years! I didn't realize Michener's Hawaii has been around that long. I loved that book. Good choice! :-)