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Remember GRAMS |
Remember GRAMS |
We Remember September 11, 2001.
The tragic events of September 11, 2001 occurred during our last year at the former George R. Austin Middle School. We will always remember that day.
This essay was the first place winner in a Freetown V.F.W. writing contest about September 11th. When he wrote it, Benjamin was an eighth grader at GRAMS.
by Benjamin L September 11th 2001 was the most horrific day in our
country's history. It took thousands of lives in the course
of a few minutes, and brought despair and confusion to our
country. People started asking questions like: "Why did this
happen?" "Who could do such a thing?" and "Why would anyone
want to destroy thousands of lives?" This day will always be
known as the day of the worst attack on our country. They
succeeded in destroying many of our lives, destroying our
buildings, and bringing despondency to our people, but they
DID NOT ACCOMPLISH THEIR ONE TRUE GOAL. They had planed on
destroying our nation, pulling it apart. What happened was
so unexpected to them. What those cowards did end up doing
was to bring upon themselves their own worst fear. They
brought together our people stronger and braver than before.
They reunited a nation. I was in school at the time of the crashes on that
horrendous September day. Our school did the right thing in
not telling the students about the crashes, but they could
not hide the truth from the faculty. I had a sense something
was wrong that morning. As the day progressed I could see my
teachers tensing up. They became agitated at the slightest
noise. And at the end of that day a voice came over the
loudspeaker. It began telling us the events of that horrible
morning. I can still hear that droning voice of our
principal as the class listened in horror stricken silence.
As her voice left the room, the icy hand of reality set in.
I was in shock. Pure shock. The voice of the children seemed
to pick up as they began gossiping and looking nervous. My
friend and I sat in complete silence just looking at each
other. I was crushed. As I came home from school that day I found my dad in
front of the television. I watched in horror as time after
time the planes crashed. I finally left. I was getting sick
at watching it happen over and over again. I watched the
news regularly after that. For a few days I didn't want to
do anything. Just sit and watch TV. I was completely zapped
of energy. They had won I said to my self. They had
destroyed my hope. But that week something unexpected happened. Something
nobody had planned. I came home from school one day and
there it was. Out in the front my house. The American flag
blew proudly through the air. Not our usual festive holiday
flag, but our American flag. The one usually stashed away
until the Fourth of July, when we let it out for about a
month, then shove it back downstairs to make way for the
August flag until the next year. And just then an
indescribable feeling coursed through my body. It was like
being born again. Hope rushed through my veins. I was free
of their spell. Many more flags followed. Soon my entire neighborhood
had some sort of flag proudly waving on or around its
houses. And a realization came to me as I watched flag after
flag appear all over the nation. We are strong. This trauma
had not shattered us apart, but it brought us together.
Millions of people found ways of helping, whether it be
enlisting in the service, or donating a few dollars to
charity. We all did something. So when you ask me how
September 11 affected me I will give you an answer even more
unpredictable than the tragedy itself. Even though it was an
awful time and I understand the tough times the families of
the deceased are going through, it brought hope, joy and
love of man back to me. It brought back my assurance that
our country could still unite in times of crisis. Those
devils may have destroyed parts of our economy, our
buildings, and even some of our lives, but they will never
destroy the American dream.
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