Chapter Thirteen: To Honor Their Memories

The chapter highlights September 11, 2001, from Dominica's point of view.

For almost three years, I wasn't doing any writing of any kind. It took the September 11, 2001 incident to inspire me to write again. I was sitting on the sofa in my grandmother's living room when I turned on the television and saw the mass destruction of, the Twin Towers, a portion the Pentagon, and some buildings in Philadelphia. I was watching the CBS Early Morning News, when I saw the footage of the airplane crashing into the first of the Twin Towers. That was shocking to me as it was. I froze after the airplane crashed into the other of the Twin Towers. My gut became twisted as the spiraling energy within me built all the way upward, tightening my vocal cords and the rest of the muscles within my throat. An outpour of emotion came from my eyes like an overflowing creek, just when the Twin Towers came crashing down to the ground, sugring with great bolts of fire that vanqished many onlookers, and swept away many victims away within its wicked arms of destruction. I wept for those who lost their lives. It was like being face to face with the death of, and funeral for, my brother Jake all over again. For the days that followed September 11, 2001, church services where held all over the world, and people prayed for the recovery of lives in, addition to praying for the families whose loved ones perished. It was the day the world cried, especially for the children who became orphans. Even till this very day, I get emotional just thinking about the events that transpired back then. It breaks my heart whenever I hear the Star Spangled banner, because it takes me back to that fateful day of death. I have always had lots of admiration and respect for firemen, in that they risk their lives every time they fight fire. One fireman during the September 11. 2001 incident stood out in my mind clearly. He was a freshman who rescued victims that were trapped under the burning rubble of the Twin Towers. This particular fireman came out of the rubble covered with soot and smoke. His face looked ghostly white as did his neck, uniform and boots, when he carried a victim out of the rubble that continued to burn. His heroism really moved me. I was watching the television three days later with Grandma Feldman and Aunt Doris, when I saw him come out of the burning rubble with the victim in his arms, and saw his ghostly, white, face, I shrieked and wailed, "I'll be damn. Look at the poor thing. That poor man's face is covered with burns from the soot." I was hearbroken over the deaths and destruction from the September 11, 2001 incident.

Aunt Doris had a look of concern on her face, when she said, "Dominica, I don't think you should watch television for a while. At least not when the news coverage pertains to the 911 incident. I don't want you to end up in the hospital with a nervous breakdown. You suffered enough in life as it is, when considering the violence you went through at the hands of your father. Lately, you've been crying so hard that you shake so and suffer from severe nosebleeds."

I went upstairs to my room to read a book after Aunt Doris turned off the television, and headed into the kitchen to cook dinner for Grandma Feldman and me. We took turns doing the cooking, and that night, it was Aunt Doris's turn. I then came back downstairs after forty-five minutes had passed. I suggested that we put on a movie from our video cassette collection. We watched the movie Forest Gump. He was a man who overcame obstacles in his life by strengthening his weaknesses. Sometimes,
no matter how lost we are, we always seem to find our way back home.

That night, before I went to bed, I prayed. "Dear Lord, please protect the fire fighters who are trying to find survivors in the wreckage, in addition to recovering the bodies of the deceased. Help me to heal from this emotional turmoil I'm suffering, as a result of the 911 destruction. Help the United States America to heal as a nation. Help the world to unite in peace and love. Mr. President is talking about going to war with Afghanistan. However, I don't think that's what we need right now. What we need to do is help the living victims of the September 11, 2001 destruction recover. We as a nation are still in mourning. The bodies of the deceased, that have been recovered, are still warm. I believe that the best way for we as a nation to honor the memories of the deceased, is to do so, by following your teachings, Lord. Violence is not the answer to resolving problems. Lord, you say that vengeance is yours. I wish Mr. President would reconsider his decision, before going to war. We as a nation do not need anymore bloodshed. I pray for peace and love throughout the world. Please guide our government in finding the right path to take when it comes to resolving the issue of terrorism. I'd like to help out the victims anyway I can, Lord." I then climbed into bed and dozed off to sleep.

The following afternoon, I went to a toy store and bought some stuffed animals to contribute to Toys to Tots. Through doing so, I hoped to bring joy to some unfortunate children who were left orphans. If I could afford to buy every suffering child in the world a stuffed toy, I would have, but there are too many children that need help in this world. Purchasing the stuffed toy animals for the orphans of the September 11, 2001 incident was a means of helping me to heal within from the emotional pain I endured through witnessing the destruction unfold.

Author's Note

What do you think of the dialogue?