Remembering 9/11

I looked back at what I blogged last year at this time and was surprised that I didn't post anything on or around 9/11. That was a very interesting time in my young life. Before I get into how my life changed six years ago, I just want to mention my agreement with my new idol, Saint Gasoline, about how it's a bit ridiculous that we as a society focus on remembering only the worst things in our history. There are lots of important and less tragic events that we could focus on. Not that we should ever forget events like 9/11, but instead of dwelling on the negative, it'd be interesting to see what we could accomplish by focusing on positive change in our lives.

And now I'll contradict all that by reliving the events of "6 years ago Mindie."

In August 2001, I told Kevin I wanted a divorce. Right after that, I met Marc in Colorado at the second Gathering of Xterras. Leaving him after a week, not knowing when (or if?) we'd see each other again, almost made my heart break. I got home to Kentucky, did laundry, repacked, and flew off to Atlanta for work. At the time, Kevin was working in NYC. We arrived in our respective cities on Sunday 9/9.

Tuesday morning, I was sitting in a meeting room with a dozen or so other students at the local PwC office when one of the other employees from the building came in and quietly interrupted our instructor. After a few seconds of whispering, the instructor asked us all if we had any family living or working in NYC. Then he told us about the plane flying into the North tower.

I don't remember exactly what happened next. I know class was over and did not ever resume. We all left the room to watch the footage on TV in the lunch area. I tried calling Kevin. I didn't think he was in the same part of town as the WTC, but I didn't know for sure. The lines were completely jammed trying to call that area though. I called and talked to Marc. I worried about my friend Jason, the Secret Service agent who worked at one of the smaller WT buildings that collapsed later that day.

I watched on TV as the South tower got hit and as the South tower and later the North tower collapsed. It still gives me chills--the really bad kind--when I think about it. I remember the collective gasps from everyone in the room. I remember crying.

I have no recollection of how or when I got back to my hotel room. A bunch of people in class were from the same area in Pennsylvania and rented a 10 passenger van to drive home that day. I was obviously not flying anywhere, and I didn't get lucky with vehicle rentals either. The next few days are a blur. I don't remember leaving the hotel except for a dinner out with a college friend one night. I really don't have any idea what I was doing the whole time. Friday morning, I talked with a car rental place that had a car for me. I caught a cab from Dunwoody (north of Atlanta) to the airport (south of Atlanta). I waited in line. I felt badly for the guy in front of me who told the rental agent that he'd be returning his car in San Jose, CA. Wow... 2,500 miles by himself...

I got my rental Sentra and took off. Once outside of the city, there was little traffic on the road. All the plates were from other states; I could tell they were mostly rentals. A random group of us maintained 85-90 MPH for a good chunk of time. The whole trip took about 4.5 hours instead of the usual 6+. I just wanted to be home.

Kevin was driving home from NYC at the same time, and we arrived within an hour or so of each other. If ever there had been a doubt about where my life was going next, I knew right then that I wouldn't be going anywhere with him. The tragedy had struck a cord deep in my soul. Even if I didn't end up with Marc, I knew my life was meant to take a different course than the one I was on.

A month later, I moved out. A month after that, I moved to Oregon. I wondered then and I still wonder now how long I would have dragged my feet if something so horrible hadn't shaken me up and given me the strength to change the course of my life. I wonder where I'd be right now if that had never happened. Who knows.

9/11 really is one of those days that I'll always remember exactly where I was even if I can't remember all the details about what I did next. It changed so many lives, and I credit it fully with changing mine--fortunately for the better.

Now, seriously, go read some comics and blogs from my idol. They'll make you laugh. If they don't make you laugh, then there's just no hope for you.