"Yowie"
8 years ago, I can still vividly remember Joel waking me up at about
11:15pm saying 'A bomb hit New York'. Wearily, I stumbled out to the lounge
to watch the coverage, thinking it was some sort of stunt, a joke, a sci-fi
movie. We watched in increasing horror as the second plane hit the other
world tower, and by the time the next plane had hit the pentagon, we were
both thinking 'here comes world war 3'.

We stayed up most of the night, watching in horror, disbelief and open
grief whilst the tragedy that struck New York, Washington, America, indeed
the World unfolded. My thoughts went out to all those in the line of fire,
all those who would be affected by this.

My heart skipped a beat when I realised my mother was overseas, on
holiday, unreachable (in the days ahead I paid a small fortune in phone
calls trying to track her down - I found her in France). And then another
as I realised a great friend was actually in the air, flying back from
Sydney to NY at the time (she was diverted to LA and couldn't get home -
nor even call her husband - for 3 more days) .

Everyone stumbled into work the next day, sleepless, shocked. People
desperately tried to contact their loved ones not only in the USA but
around the world. Work allowed the use of the busines phones to do it,
they didn't really have a choice - although most of the lines were down
and the ones that weren't were so overload, it could take *hours* to get
through to a US operator, and even then it didn't mean the call could go
through. There was a constant vigil of at least a handful of people in the
conference room, watchign the only TV we have here, coming out after a
while white and shaken, no longer physically able to watch any more. For
the first time, I saw my colleagues, both men & women, openly weep.

Friends gathered to console and support each other - everyone, and I mean
*everyone* I know, knew someone who knew someone that was directly
effected.

The internet connections were flakey at best, but messages of support and
friendship were posted, as well as a 'please check in' for those who had
been disconnected. It took a very long time, even over here, for it to
stop being at the top of people's minds. Even a month later, I saw a
low-flying jet and immediately had flash-backs, had a moment stricken with
fear. I hadn't realised I was so close to the airport.

8 years on, its no longer front page news every day, but the consequences
of that senseless act still reverberate around the world, effecting lives
every day, every minute. To all those who live with the heartache and
grief of that terrible day, as well as the incredible acts of heroism and
sacrifice, you have not been forgotten. Our purrs and prayers go out to
you..

lest we forget.

Yowie

Unfortunately, back in 2001, I watched the horror on our 60 " giant TV
screen, and I still cannot get those images out of my mind. It was a little
after 8 am here.
There are always some 9/11 programs on TV every year and I can't watch them.
Such horror and madness, and bravery, heroism and love, it boggles the mind.
I have a friend on another group who went mad after seeing the planes hit
the Towers. My youngest daughter had been on the roof of the North Tower
that summer, and she was telling me how you could see 4 different states
from there.
Windows on The World, a famous eatery, was on the top floor of one of the
Towers and I can't even imagine seeing an airplane headed right for you, and
having no place to hide. Bless their hearts. And I can't even begin to
thank those who risked their own lives to help others, and comfort them. It
is so horrid. And bless the hearts of the passengers of Flight 93 who lost
their lives taking control of the terrorists who were headed for The White
House.. The World has gone mad.
Thank you for posting this, Yowie
Kyla