Letter From A Niece

Today was supposed to be a normal day. Sitting at work the radio went dead. Stupid thing never did work right. When it came on it was possessed. That is the only way I know how to explain what was coming from its little speakers. An unknown airplane had crashed in to one of the World Trade Towers. People stood around, I stood around, in disbelief listening to what we were being told. One plane had been hijacked and then two and then three. When the second plane hit the other Twin; time, breath, hearts, and life as we knew it, ceased to exist. History on a catastrophic scale was in the making. I will never forget were I was at that exact moment. The world will not forget either. People were stunned and horrified by what we had just heard.

The United States that I awoke to died at that moment and something new, something completely different rises anew. Sitting helplessly, we the world listened, hoping and praying that nothing more would go wrong, but that prayer went unanswered. The Pentagon was hit and a plane went down in Pennsylvania. It was heart wrenching. Everybody was overcome with fear and sadness as they started to realize the reality of this tragedy.

This meant that our loved ones were going to war.

I was eager to get home to see for myself the pictures of this event. The first time I saw the second plane hit the Twin my vision blurred with tears, sad for those who I knew had died and the many more that were to come. Returning to work, to life, and to normalcy was out of the question. Getting the call less than two hours after all of this started that my loved ones were already being deployed to retaliate against this monster, I was overcome.

My condolences go out to those who will, or have, lost contact with their loved ones. This attack has now hit me and I take it personally. God, heaven must be busy tonight. Pray for them. America if you do not believe in God now you need to start. Now the Towers were toppling over like children's tinker toys. A symbol of power and freedom has been reduced to ash and bent metal. Whatever hope there was that no more lives would be lost was now gone. Now they say that men, women, and children are in the street celebrating over the blood shed from my brothers and sisters. A feeling that I have never experienced before took over my mind and body. I'm sure that everybody was feeling the same so I don't think that I will have to explain it to you because, as you know, it is unexplainable. We have lost our innocence. Our children have been robbed of the privilege to live in a world of leisure and care freeness - but born into a new world of war, pride, and respect, something we lost along time ago. Whatever patriotism had been lost since the Vietnam war will be regained in greater proportions than ever seen before. Men, women and children from California to South Carolina will give everything in their power to help and assist (from blood to money to prayers) in the rebuilding and restoring of our great nation. I hope that this attack will help us to obliterate everything from racism to poverty because, as the dust settles and the rubble is cleared, we realize that we all are human, are all Americans, we are all rich with life, and we all bleed red on this day. God bless you and God bless the USA!!

This is dedicated to my Uncle Anthony. He is one of the many rescue workers that have been in New York since Tuesday. He is my hero and he is a hero to every family both here and there. I love you.
Your sister and niece.