reflections

seven years flies by fast.

i was a naive freshman @emory
entering my 2nd week of school.
so far at that point, i was immensely enjoying school.
i remember on this day,
i had like 5 classes.
i was on my way to japanese class,
when the tv started showing live footage.

i stood rooted on spot, watching the images unfold.
it looked like a movie, more like special effects.
no way did it register in my head the magnitude of what it meant.

i was late, and i went into class.
my class started at 9ish and a lot of ppl didnt know or see it.
class went on as normal.

when we got out, there was confusion.
classes were canceled for like 2 days
there was talk of a plane coming to the cdc (next to emory)
i went to the student center and saw hundreds of students
watching it unfold on big screens.
students were crying, frantically calling relatives, and just shocked.

an acf staff worker, irene, had a brother who worked at the trade center.
she was trying to get hold of family members who knew about his whereabouts.
it happened that he overslept for a meeting
and was on the subway when the planes crashed in.

my SG was canceled that night
and instead, we went to 722 that night
where they had an impromptu prayer vigil.
prayer gave me peace at such an anxious state.

classes were canceled for the rest of the week.
there were more vigils and services.

and then, we moved on, we strive on.
but still, 7 years later, i tear up.
i teared up reading cnn this morning
watching the memorials happening, remembering.
i still lift up a prayer to the victims and families
offering up condolences.

prayer gave me peace back then
it still does.