9/11

i woke from a daze. my sister was on the phone crying (not a usual thing for that sister). she said, we're at war. i knew she wasn't joking. i ran into the hallway of my S hall 7th floor dorm. most of the girls were there, gathered in the small space, trying to deal with what was happening in our world. somehow, i mustered up the energy, hope and faith to suggest we pray. i have no idea how. people have told me it strengthened them. i can't believe it was me. so we all kneeled down in our little hallway and prayed. i don't remember if i said it or someone else did. then my sister picked me up and we spent the rest of the day listening to busy signals trying to get ahold of my family. my father worked fairly regularly at the pentagon. being from dc and identifying with the big cities of the east coast, having something like this happen when i hadn't been away from home very long (i was in my first freshman semester of college), was earth-shattering. i think i withdrew from one of my classes because i couldn't handle all of it.

as we found out later, he wasn't there that day. my brother and a boy i was flirting with at the time both saw the plane go into the pentagon.

and amidst all that, what i remember most from that time is the broadcast given by president gordon b. hinckley, then leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. seeing the mormon tabernacle in black is a photographic memory for me. however, his words were comforting, hope-filling and inspired. i am so grateful that i know where i can look for solace and guidance then and now.