Everyone has their own version and their own memories of the day. Mine are not especially significant. I didn't know anyone who was affected, and I don't have anything to say that is profound or really even worth sharing. In fact, on the tenth anniversary of this historic day, I even put off thinking about it because I didn't want to remember how I felt or how sad it was. It helps me to process my thoughts by writing them down, and so that's what I shall do.
Ten years ago. I was 17. Seventeen. I've almost forgotten what it's like to be a teenager. I was recently made painfully aware of this when hearing the age (15) of a babysitter who was going to watch my niece, Ellie for me so that Nate and I could go to a comedy night at our church. I thought, fifteen is too young to babysit a nine month...oh, wait. I started babysitting when I was 12 or 13. *facepalm* But the facts are that seventeen-year-old-me and my family had just moved to Michigan like a month prior, and school had just started about two weeks before September 11. I worked at McDonald's. All of my grandparents were still living (and I now only have one living grandma). I drove myself and my 13-year-old brother to school in my parents' 1983 Chevy Celebrity. I was also enrolled at a university, where I would later earn my bachelor's degree, taking a college-level Spanish class Monday and Wednesday afternoons, but Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday afternoons were free for me to spend extra time in the lab of my favorite class, Yearbook, of which I would later be asked to be editor. This is what I wrote as it appears in my high school's 2001-2002 yearbook.
9-11
They said we'd always remember 9-11. I could never forget. Could you?
By Laura Wills, Editor of the Royal Heir 2002
It was a normal Tuesday morning, just like any other school day. I was sitting in government class, trying to stay awake, when everything changed. Mr. Barsuhn was called out of the room, and he returned with a serious expression on his face. He told us that a terrorist-controlled plane flew into one of the towers of the World Trade Center in New York. The class sat silently in disbelief. Later, we heard that another plane flew into the other tower of the WTC.
This experience was frightening, but God did not want us to be afraid. The Bible is full of encouragement that applied to the events of September 11, 2001. God continually tells us not to be afraid because he sees the big picture. "...'Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight' (Joshua 10:25, NIV)." God has also warned us that we will have trouble in this world. "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (John 16:33, NIV)."
Our nation will never be the same. Good has and will come from this tragedy. Let us never forget Who this nation stands for, and let us always be thankful for the freedom to worship Him. We must remember that God is always in control.
Obviously, I wrote this after I had had a lot of time to process the events that had happened. The things I said were true and still are. I don't believe our nation has been the same since. But that day, my emotions were raw. I spent nearly the entire school day in front of the one TV our small Christian school had in the "Cafetorium" (multipurpose cafeteria/auditorium). We started watching after the first plane hit the first tower, and so we watched LIVE while the second plane hit the second tower, the other plane hit the Pentagon, and the fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania. That day, we had no idea that that would be the end of the planned attacks. We just knew that our nation was under attack, most likely from terrorists, and it was terrifying. For all we knew, there were many more attacks to come. For the first time in my sheltered American teenage life, I didn't feel safe. That day after school, I remember going out to dinner with my dad and my little brother to a little establishment in our small town. The restaurant was full of people, but the atmosphere was hazy and quiet. With only the news on the radio, everyone was silent in complete bewilderment.
Just today, I watched video footage of the second plane hitting the second tower of the World Trade Center. It is common footage that you can find a million times over by doing a simple search on Google or YouTube, but I hadn't seen it in years. Memories of how I felt the first time I saw it came flooding back to me. Those are the snapshots that replay in my head when I think of this day. Aside from the obvious countless lives lost, the surviving friends and family, the country at war with terrorism, and the renewed sense of patriotism, here are a few things I noticed while flipping through my high school yearbook that have changed. The New York City skyline. Airline security. Security to large public places and events (including amusement parks, tourist attractions, and sports arenas). The Sears/Willis Tower. The Internet. Facebook. The software we used to design the yearbook, Pagemaker, doesn't exist anymore; it is now called InDesign, and it's in its 5th version. There are countless more, but that's all that have come to mind just now.
The world has changed and will doubtlessly continue to change in the coming years, but of one thing I'm certain: my God is greater and more powerful than any evil in this world, and He is in control.
_____________________________________________________
"I'm pressed but not crushed; persecuted not abandoned / Struck down but not destroyed. / I'm blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure / And his joy's gonna be my strength // Though the sorrow may last for the night / His joy comes with the morning." - Trading My Sorrows, by Darrell Evans
Showing posts with label college. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college. Show all posts
Monday, September 12, 2011
Monday, February 11, 2008
Deer and SAU
Imported Livejournal entry 02.11.08
_____________________________________________________
What a weekend I've had.
Friday Night
I got off of work at about 6:30. I decided to explore and find a different way home. The roads were decent that night, and I took a good look at Google Maps before I left. I was driving along, having a good ole time listening to the Father Gilbert Mysteries (which are amazing, Focus on the Family Radio Theatre dramatizations, btw) when I found my way into Hanover. I wasn't lost as I had known that much. I kept driving on what I thought would take me back to Moscow, the road I always take home. Well, this road became that road, which in turn became something else. I didn't want to get totally lost and waste a bunch of gas in the process, so I turned around. I wasn't entirely sure where I was, so I wasn't driving very fast, about 25 to 30 mph. All of the sudden, out of completely nowhere, a doe walks out in front of my car. NOTE: I said the deer walked, and she definitely did just that. She wasn't in any hurry, as far as I could tell. Anyway, she came out of a wooded area, and as there was no shoulder, I had no warning until she was on the road in front of my car.
Naturally, I slammed on my brakes, and thankfully, I didn't swerve. If I would have thought of it, I would have honked as I was breaking, but one doesn't think of EVERYTHING in situations like these. I don't think it would have helped much anyway. I screamed bloody murder as I nailed the doe in the center of her body with the center of the front of my car. I watched the deer from impact to landing, and I still can't believe it happened the way it did. Well, after I hit her, she slid up on my car but just a little bit, and then it threw her to the left. Have you ever seen Twister, when the cow is spinning around in the tornado? This doe did at least 2 somersaults in the air, head over heels, before landing in the snowy ditch, hitting butt/back side down. That part of it is a bit humorous, looking back, but at the time, I couldn't believe it happened.
I stopped on the road, trying to catch my breath, hoping my car was okay, and glad no one was around to see it happen. All I could think of was 1) Calling Nate, and 2) Was the deer okay?
I drove forward, glad to see my car was still functioning normally. I got a hold of Nate and decided to turn my car around to find the deer and to figure out what to do next. I knew I wouldn't be able to rest until I knew that poor doe was okay. Well, she didn't exactly scamper off as though nothing had happened, but she didn't die on impact either. I pulled over as much as I could, as there was no shoulder, and when I saw her there, I started balling. I watched as she tried to get up once, then twice, but couldn't stand on her back two legs. Her front half was fine, but she couldn't walk! I couldn't handle that! I'm such a softy. Nate calmed me down over the phone, though I'm not sure how as by now I was sobbing uncontrollably. I finally left because we decided that since my car was the only vehicle involved, and I only have very basic car insurance, that it was unnecessary to call the police. I kind of wanted someone to come put her out of her misery...I hated to see her suffer! Nate found where I was on a map and gave me directions to get back to Moscow. It turned out I had been going the right way. I had to drive by the "scene of the crime" again, and the deer was gone. I couldn't see her anywhere. I have to say, I was relieved. Hopefully she was just stunned and was able to get up and go on with her life. Unfortunately, she probably was so frightened, she got up enough to make it to the woods, and died there. I try not to think about that.
I'm not a person who loves animals so much that I can't stand to see them hunted. On the contrary, I know there are far too many deer, especially in Michigan. But for her to die because of an accident, as a waste. Ugh, I was sickened at that thought. Oh well, such is life. I will never know what happened to her, and I will have to be okay with that.
Moving on.
Saturday was a fabulous day of shopping in Lansing with Becca. We had such a great day. Either we have the same taste in clothes or I am just a copycat, but I ended up buying the same lounge pants and shoes as she did. That night, the weather started to get really crappy, and when I drove her to Spring Arbor, it was to the point of dangerous. The snow was drifting really badly, and there were whiteout conditions. She invited me to spend the night, and I decided I didn't want to have another accident (after my literal run-in with the deer).
I stayed. It was fun, too. We went to Ormston to visit my brother. That was hilarious. I remember 4 or 5 years ago, walking onto O3 on our way to O4 with some of my female friends and having ZERO guys talk to us. I was probably a freshman or sophomore at the time, and I knew a few of the guys that lived there from camp and/or classes. It was so ironic because this time, I'm at least two years older than all of the guys there, and more guys talked to me than I can even remember. I don't even remember any of their names! Maybe it was because I was "Jonathan's sister" and I was with Becca, but it was just really humorous. I had a great time looking at the Ormston pictures hanging on the walls. What a great tradition someone started. I knew so many of those names and faces. I didn't feel as much like a stranger when I was standing in Ormston, seeing and remembering those faces; guys like Peter Blair, Ryan Jones, Corwin Koppelman, Brian McKinley, MY FIANCE Nate Piatt, Kevin Eccles, Ron Holsworth, Tom Maynard, etc. Suddenly I didn't feel so awkward being there.
College hasn't really changed since I went there. The faces are different, but the people and atmosphere are the same. Even M1 seemed to be decorated the same as it had been before. We watched High School Musical (which is actually really cute, kind of like the Lizzie McGuire movie), and then I crashed on Becca and her roommate, the RA's couch. I think I wouldn't mind spending the night there again, on weekends when my parents are up north. It wasn't awkward, but I think it would have been better had I been more prepared. There were a few things I would have liked to do, but I didn't have time, like:
1. Visit Nate Woods
2. Go to the library and see if they have any good audiobooks I could listen to on my commute
3. Hang out at the Cougar Den
4. Go to Chapel with them (on a Monday, of course)
5. Visit the Art Center
I did think that if I did visit them on a weekday, that it would be fun to go with them to class, with a teacher that I used to have, just for fun. I would also enjoy sitting in on an art class, though if it were drawing, I just know Mr. Bippes would do something crazy like call on me for a critique, and that would just be so awkward! I can still critique art, but I'm so out of practice at doing it in front of people who actually know what I'm talking about that I would just hate it. I basically would just like going to a class and not having homework. Even two years after graduating, that's still probably one of my favorite things...no more homework. Ever.
Oh, I forgot to mentioned that I bumped into the lovely Melanie Baldwin when I was picking Becca up that morning! How fabulous to see someone I live so close to but hang out with so rarely! We have decided that we need to get together, and soon!
Needless to say, the deer and the weather didn't ruin my weekend, but it sure was not a normal weekend by any stretch of the imagination. I will enjoy getting back to my normal life this week. Work, dog lessons, wedding planning, Valentine's Day, etc.
To my local friends: Drive safely on those crazy Michigan roads! And watch for deer!
Cheers.
_____________________________________________________
What a weekend I've had.
Friday Night
I got off of work at about 6:30. I decided to explore and find a different way home. The roads were decent that night, and I took a good look at Google Maps before I left. I was driving along, having a good ole time listening to the Father Gilbert Mysteries (which are amazing, Focus on the Family Radio Theatre dramatizations, btw) when I found my way into Hanover. I wasn't lost as I had known that much. I kept driving on what I thought would take me back to Moscow, the road I always take home. Well, this road became that road, which in turn became something else. I didn't want to get totally lost and waste a bunch of gas in the process, so I turned around. I wasn't entirely sure where I was, so I wasn't driving very fast, about 25 to 30 mph. All of the sudden, out of completely nowhere, a doe walks out in front of my car. NOTE: I said the deer walked, and she definitely did just that. She wasn't in any hurry, as far as I could tell. Anyway, she came out of a wooded area, and as there was no shoulder, I had no warning until she was on the road in front of my car.
Naturally, I slammed on my brakes, and thankfully, I didn't swerve. If I would have thought of it, I would have honked as I was breaking, but one doesn't think of EVERYTHING in situations like these. I don't think it would have helped much anyway. I screamed bloody murder as I nailed the doe in the center of her body with the center of the front of my car. I watched the deer from impact to landing, and I still can't believe it happened the way it did. Well, after I hit her, she slid up on my car but just a little bit, and then it threw her to the left. Have you ever seen Twister, when the cow is spinning around in the tornado? This doe did at least 2 somersaults in the air, head over heels, before landing in the snowy ditch, hitting butt/back side down. That part of it is a bit humorous, looking back, but at the time, I couldn't believe it happened.
I stopped on the road, trying to catch my breath, hoping my car was okay, and glad no one was around to see it happen. All I could think of was 1) Calling Nate, and 2) Was the deer okay?
I drove forward, glad to see my car was still functioning normally. I got a hold of Nate and decided to turn my car around to find the deer and to figure out what to do next. I knew I wouldn't be able to rest until I knew that poor doe was okay. Well, she didn't exactly scamper off as though nothing had happened, but she didn't die on impact either. I pulled over as much as I could, as there was no shoulder, and when I saw her there, I started balling. I watched as she tried to get up once, then twice, but couldn't stand on her back two legs. Her front half was fine, but she couldn't walk! I couldn't handle that! I'm such a softy. Nate calmed me down over the phone, though I'm not sure how as by now I was sobbing uncontrollably. I finally left because we decided that since my car was the only vehicle involved, and I only have very basic car insurance, that it was unnecessary to call the police. I kind of wanted someone to come put her out of her misery...I hated to see her suffer! Nate found where I was on a map and gave me directions to get back to Moscow. It turned out I had been going the right way. I had to drive by the "scene of the crime" again, and the deer was gone. I couldn't see her anywhere. I have to say, I was relieved. Hopefully she was just stunned and was able to get up and go on with her life. Unfortunately, she probably was so frightened, she got up enough to make it to the woods, and died there. I try not to think about that.
I'm not a person who loves animals so much that I can't stand to see them hunted. On the contrary, I know there are far too many deer, especially in Michigan. But for her to die because of an accident, as a waste. Ugh, I was sickened at that thought. Oh well, such is life. I will never know what happened to her, and I will have to be okay with that.
Moving on.
Saturday was a fabulous day of shopping in Lansing with Becca. We had such a great day. Either we have the same taste in clothes or I am just a copycat, but I ended up buying the same lounge pants and shoes as she did. That night, the weather started to get really crappy, and when I drove her to Spring Arbor, it was to the point of dangerous. The snow was drifting really badly, and there were whiteout conditions. She invited me to spend the night, and I decided I didn't want to have another accident (after my literal run-in with the deer).
I stayed. It was fun, too. We went to Ormston to visit my brother. That was hilarious. I remember 4 or 5 years ago, walking onto O3 on our way to O4 with some of my female friends and having ZERO guys talk to us. I was probably a freshman or sophomore at the time, and I knew a few of the guys that lived there from camp and/or classes. It was so ironic because this time, I'm at least two years older than all of the guys there, and more guys talked to me than I can even remember. I don't even remember any of their names! Maybe it was because I was "Jonathan's sister" and I was with Becca, but it was just really humorous. I had a great time looking at the Ormston pictures hanging on the walls. What a great tradition someone started. I knew so many of those names and faces. I didn't feel as much like a stranger when I was standing in Ormston, seeing and remembering those faces; guys like Peter Blair, Ryan Jones, Corwin Koppelman, Brian McKinley, MY FIANCE Nate Piatt, Kevin Eccles, Ron Holsworth, Tom Maynard, etc. Suddenly I didn't feel so awkward being there.
College hasn't really changed since I went there. The faces are different, but the people and atmosphere are the same. Even M1 seemed to be decorated the same as it had been before. We watched High School Musical (which is actually really cute, kind of like the Lizzie McGuire movie), and then I crashed on Becca and her roommate, the RA's couch. I think I wouldn't mind spending the night there again, on weekends when my parents are up north. It wasn't awkward, but I think it would have been better had I been more prepared. There were a few things I would have liked to do, but I didn't have time, like:
1. Visit Nate Woods
2. Go to the library and see if they have any good audiobooks I could listen to on my commute
3. Hang out at the Cougar Den
4. Go to Chapel with them (on a Monday, of course)
5. Visit the Art Center
I did think that if I did visit them on a weekday, that it would be fun to go with them to class, with a teacher that I used to have, just for fun. I would also enjoy sitting in on an art class, though if it were drawing, I just know Mr. Bippes would do something crazy like call on me for a critique, and that would just be so awkward! I can still critique art, but I'm so out of practice at doing it in front of people who actually know what I'm talking about that I would just hate it. I basically would just like going to a class and not having homework. Even two years after graduating, that's still probably one of my favorite things...no more homework. Ever.
Oh, I forgot to mentioned that I bumped into the lovely Melanie Baldwin when I was picking Becca up that morning! How fabulous to see someone I live so close to but hang out with so rarely! We have decided that we need to get together, and soon!
Needless to say, the deer and the weather didn't ruin my weekend, but it sure was not a normal weekend by any stretch of the imagination. I will enjoy getting back to my normal life this week. Work, dog lessons, wedding planning, Valentine's Day, etc.
To my local friends: Drive safely on those crazy Michigan roads! And watch for deer!
Cheers.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)