In Memoriam of September 11th

It was a warm Tuesday morning in Turlock, California when I received news of the World Trade Center bombings. As I was tying my shoes in my final task of getting ready for school, the last thing I expected to happen was my youngest brother bursting through my bedroom door screaming that the twin towers had been bombed. But it did. Forgetting my shoe laces I followed my brother into the kitchen where I found the rest of my family huddling around the radio in pure, silent shock. We stayed there listening to the news for as long as we could uncertain of what would happen next.

I was filled with uncertainties for the next half hour. What would happen to the buildings, when would they be able to extinguish the fires, how many people were hurt, who was responsible?

My questions were answers in first period when my teacher got a call on her cell phone. It was her husband informing her that the towers had collapsed. She announced the news to the class immediately, and before anyone had the chance to react she proceeded to deliver a speech I will never forget.

It wasn’t hate speech against the people responsible. It wasn’t conspiracy chatter against the Bush administration. It wasn’t anger at God for allowing this to happen. What she gave us a life lesson that lives with me to this day.

It is important to keep calm in time of crisis.

You can’t solve problems in the middle of a break down. It may be difficult to control your emotions, especially during a terrorist attack, but it will be worth it in the long run as long as you keep your head. Rationality over emotions. Otherwise, you get an earful of conspiracy cries and Revelation quotes. Control your emotions; don’t let them control you.