First and foremost Happy Birthday to my best friend in the whole wide world, Tiffany.

Secondly, condolences go out to friends and family members lost in the terrorist attacks on this day two years ago.

Wow, it does not even seem like this happened two years ago. At about 8 am, JT woke me up out of my sleep with a telephone call, informing me of the first plane crash into the World Trade Center. I was truly devastated and shocked… then within a matter of minutes, as I spoke with JT on the phone and watch the news on the Today Show, another plane crash was announced. I could not believe what my eyes were seeing. Was this real? I kept wondering was this a dream… but no it was real, two airplanes were hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City. Then planes crashed into the Pentagon… and an area in southwest Pennsylvania. Nearly two hours straight, I was captivated by the news. JT, my mother and I called each other back and forth.

Then, mentally things settled down for me around 10:30 am.

Reality (at home) set in place… it was my best friend’s birthday. A selfish thought ran through my mind. How could something so terrible happen on my best friend’s birthday? I called her immediately to wish her Happy Birthday, but things did not really feel right. In the back of both of our minds we were thinking about all of the potential victims and if we were still being attacked. That day was quite surreal for me… I have never experienced such feelings as those and I imagine (or shall I say hope) that I never will again.

One year ago today, I was taking a test for a new job… a new opportunity. The test was at a federal building in my town and I could not help but be a little shook up inside. The federal building security was quite extreme that day… streets were blocked and guards did not hesitate to ask what business you had to be there. The excess of security both calmed me and made me nervous at the same time, if you can imagine.

Two years later, I wake up and the first thing I do is call Tiffany to sing her Happy Birthday.

Afterwards, I bowed my head in silence and gave condolences to all the friends, family members and lives lost that day to the attacks.

What were you doing two years ago?

Technorati Tags: 2001, birthday, contemplating, friends, history, September 11, terrorist, World Trade Center