Remembering 9/11

Twenty years ago I spent that beautiful fall day in the company of five and six year olds, one of whom was celebrating her birthday. Seven of my students that year hailed from other countries. The Hause Hares of 2001 truly exemplified our school motto, “Eakin Gives You the World.” Safe in my kindergarten cocoon, I did not know what was happening until my lunch break when I stopped by the office. The secretary filled me in as the little tv in the office replayed the horror unfolding at the Twin Towers.

It was so hard to go back to my students knowing that their world and mine were no longer as safe as I once thought. Even though the day was beautiful we were not allowed to go out for recess that afternoon or for weeks afterwards. I explained to the children that Mr. Dorris, our principal, wanted us to stay inside. I did not relay what he actually feared…an attack on our Muslim students.

Yet, what I remember most clearly about that day was Rana’s father, an Egyptian graduate student, coming up to me at dismissal and offering his condolences to my “country.” His face creased with sadness and his hand on his heart, made his simple words all the more sincere. I was deeply touched and knew in that brief moment that sorrow knows no boundary of language or land. We are one family.

Lately, we seem to have forgotten not only our connection with the rest of the world but even with our fellow citizens. We pit ourselves one against the other over the silliest of things…masks, vaccines, and political party. We boo, harass, and argue with each other in school board meetings, state legislatures, and on Capital Hill. We lost so many lives that day and in the years afterwards in questionable wars and conflicts. Surely, we owe it to those we lost to find our way back to the Capitol steps and sing again in unison, “God Bless America.” Oh, if only we could.

© Catherine Hause