My youngest daughter was supposed to begin intramural soccer on 9/11. I had to get her shinguards. I went out shopping to get the shinguards. I was in Walmart and my sister called me on my cellphone and told me a plane had crashed into one of the twin towers.I told her that was a silly accident, how could you miss something the size of the twin towers. Then, what she told me within the next few minutes changed my life forever. It was no accident. I was in my car driving when they announced another plane crashed into the other tower and then another into the Pentagon and in a field in PA. It was like a bad dream that you couldn’t wake from. I tried to reach my husband. He works for a government agency in NJ. I couldn’t get through. I wanted both of my kids home right away. My older daughter who was 16 at the time was devastated and frightened. My younger one who was 7 was so innocent. She heard but was convinced the people who did it said they were sorry as though this were all a tragic mistake. My children and I lost innocence that day. I was reminded of that when I went to Washington DC on an overnight trip and could not get near the White House, when I saw all of the concrete blockades in front of museums I loved. If there is one redeeming factor that can be brought from that day, it is the sense of pride that I see in my country. The flags flying all over. The pride in country and sense of fellowship that I see in my fellow Americans. That and my faith in God is what is getting me through this.