I work an afternoon job and evening job. I had spent the morning in silence going over lesson plans and class room material. It was time to leave for work, I drive to the bottom of the hill, put my mail in the box, get back into the car. I turn the radio on, I hear about school closings and wonder why - the sky is blue - it is beautiful out. What has happened? Then, I hear the news, how the World Trade Center is no more, how a plane crashed into the Pentagon. What??? my mind screams and then I hear the rest of the news. I am in shock, disbelief, deep sorrow, and Why? keeps going through my mind. Who would do this to us, what did we do, so many questions with no answers.

I arrive at work and all are in shock, it hits me, my husband's family live in NYC. I rush to the phone and urge him to call and make sure they are okay. They are.

Than I pray and wonder where do we start, how do we pick up and go on as a nation to sort this mess out. I still bounce back and forth between sorrow, anger, and why. Let us unite as one, try not to hate, to forgive, to go on and get back on track one way or another. Ours hopes, prayers, love, forgiveness to all. Our hearts to all the rescue workers, the military, the families left without their loved ones. Let us not make the same mistakes as in past wars and conflicts.