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Hello Sweet Shoppe dwellers. Yari here today to bring you a special blog post honoring September 11, 2001 and all that happened on that day. I am not going to lie, this was rather difficult for me to do. Tears filled my eyes and my heart was taken away in emotion several times as I wrote this post. As I watch and read different things about what happened that day I realize how deeply affected I am by what happened. And I guess this is my story and I want to share it with you. I am not a writer, but I hope that my message can get across and that you find it inspirational. Hugs to you.

I grew up in New York City. Walking around the streets of New York was one of my favorite things to do growing up. I remember when my mom took us kids to see the Twin Towers (World Trade Center) for the very first time. Back then, it was OK for a kid to poke their head out of the sunroof of the car because as we drove by the towers, we could not see the top of the buildings from the inside of the car through the windows. It is a memory I will never forget and I am so glad that my mom took us kids to see that. Those Twin Towers where HUGE to say the least!! We went inside and up the elevators. When we got out of the elevators I remember seeing the glass windows going from floor to ceiling (I don’t know if all floors were like this) and there were sort of like benches lined up before the windows for people to sit on and just enjoy the view. I remember sitting there and feeling like I was floating in the air above all other buildings in the city of New York. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

In the summer of 2001, I remember needing to go to an office at the World Trade Center and as I was there I wondered when I was going to see that place again. You see, I was getting ready to go away for college and was not sure when I was going to be able to go back to New York. One thing is for sure though, as I walked around the World Trade Center, and down the street to City Hall Park, I breathed it all in, the city air that I loved (yes, I loved it), the people going to work, the busy streets, the fashion, the attitude, the traffic, the city life… I took it all in. I enjoyed those few moments as much as possible because that was (and still is) home to me and I knew I was going to miss it.

Just 3 weeks prior to September 11, 2001, I had to move from NYC to go to college. And although I was not physically in New York when the events happened that changed the history of the world forever, I was there in spirit and my heart was in New York and with the people of New York and Washington D.C. and their families who mourned their loss  as dreams were shattered.

The following is my account of how I lived that day.

Journaling reads: “I had gone to school that morning to go nonetheless to my American Heritage class. I was in Provo, Utah going to school and had just moved there from my beloved New York City just 3 weeks prior. My roommate Bethany called me on my cell phone while I was in class and I could not answer it. When I got out I called her back. She told me that I had to go back to our apartment as soon as possible and she sounded worried. I was concerned because of the tone that she had while I was talking to her. She said that it was about New York and while I was in class I had heard someone say something happened in New York but I could not really understand what they were saying. When I opened the door and saw what was on the TV screen, I fell to my knees and thought that what I was seeing was actually a horrible movie. Bethany convinced me that it was not and that it happened that morning. My eyes swelled up with tears, my heart swelled up with emotion, and I felt like all of me yearned and only wanted to be in NYC. I was devastated by everything that happened, all the people that were affected. I wondered if anything had happened to any of my friends or family from NYC. I immediately thought of my brother who worked near the World Trade Center and I was wondering if he was OK. I called New York but the lines were busy or not working. I could not get through, making everything that much more dramatic. I was thousands of miles away unable to do anything, completely paralyzed emotionally by what happened. It was like my little mind could not comprehend the hatred that some people can have to drive them to do such a thing. I was angry. I wanted revenge. I prayed, and prayed, and prayed. I wanted to join the army right there and then. I wanted to find the perpetrators who did this even if that meant to lose my life. That night, after seeing all the news reports and seeing the reaction of people around the country, my heart jumped with pride in that we were united. Those evil men took so much from us in their attempt to take us down but despite of how hurt we were (and still are) they did not win. We stood united as a nation in love, in determination, in pride, in faith, in the assurance that we would go on and that those who suffered will be taken care of by God Himself and that He will hold them all in His dear bosom. We are not to pity the ones who died, who were innocent. We are to pity the ones who lived with such hatred in their lives that they did not know what true love, joy, and happiness life could offer. God will remember everything and as He is just. He will handle everything as perfectly as it should be and better. Later that day I was able to finally get through on the phone to New York and talk with everyone in my family. My brother walked as far and as fast as he could to get away from ground zero. My mother watched the attacks in person as she was on the bridge. That night, Bethany (who served an LDS mission in NYC) and I made banners and posters of pride which read, “We Will Never Forget” and we hung them outside of our apartment to remind everyone that it is not over and that we stand united, to take courage and to take comfort in that things will be okay. For the week that followed, I did not go to school. I missed all of my classes. I just could not get myself to go. I was still deeply affected by what happened in NY. I will never forget everything that happened that day and that week and how deeply I am still hurt by it. I will never forget all the innocent ones who died that day. They forever will be in my heart and in my thoughts and I pray to God for them.”

Now if you have a chance, PLEASE, PLEASE, take a moment to watch this video which is now archived at the Smithsonian Institute. Thank you.

Last Saturday I had the honor of walking on the streets of my town where I currently live and honoring the victims of September 11, bearing a large US flag and holding it up high letting people know I remember and honor, and that I will never, EVER, forget… my New York, my dear New York and all that happened on that tragic day.

Journaling reads: “Today at the Parade of 1000 Flags honoring all of those who fell on September 11, 2001. I cried at the thoughts of what happened that day. I smiled at the people who were graciously standing by the side of the road as we all walked by, some were veterans with their hand on their heart, some were civilians on wheelchairs, and some were dear friends we saw as we walked by. All there for the same cause. I contemplated in what seemed solitude to me as if though I were walking all alone as my heart and mind took me back to that awful day and the wonderful memories of my childhood, teenage years, and young adulthood in New York. During this time, my heart is with the families and friends, and with our whole nation, of all those who fell on September 11, 2001 in New York and Washington D.C., on American Airlines flight 11, United Airlines flight 175, American Airlines flight 77, and United Airlines flight 93. I will always remember.”

I may have a smile on my face on that photo because I was happy to be part of that parade and stand up for my New York, to represent New York. But right now as I write this I have tears in my eyes, thinking of that day and how my heart is still wounded. But perhaps the smile on my face on this photo can also translate into HOPE. Hope that we can and have gone on though these events will never ever be forgotten. FAITH in that there’s One who sees it all and is just, and who will heal our hearts in His own due time. ENDURANCE in the pain we hold in our hearts but we know Who is carrying us through it. UNITY in that we are a nation and our hearts come together the second we think of September 11 and when someone messes with us as a nation. LOVE for freedom, for our land, for our people and humanity. STRENGTH in each other and the foundation of America, and strength in how we are here for one another to carry each other and help each other no matter how badly evil men will try to hurt us. We still go on, and all that’s good in life still goes on…

I searched the gallery here at SSD and found these AMAZING layouts of people’s account of 9/11 and now I would like to share them with you. If there’s any I missed, I apologize and invite you to please feel free to link us up to it in the comments section. Also, for any of you who are able, please take a moment to make a comment on their layouts and their journaling. I know it would mean a lot to them especially during this time and on this day.

I also invite you to journal your September 11 Story and share it with the rest of us on this link in the forum as well as in the galleries. {Thank you!}

          

          

          

          

          

I made a Facebook timeline cover for my own personal Facebook page but wanted to share it on here in case anyone else wanted to use it as well in remembrance of today.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this super long post. I really appreciate it and appreciate you being part of our SSD community. This post proves how important our hobby is to us. Not only because it helps us preserve our memories, but also because it can help us by allowing our hearts and our minds to sort through feelings of hurt and pain as we lay it on a page in a creative way.

Hug your family members and friends whenever possible. Love them always and cherish each moment you have with them for you never know when will be the last time you will be with them.

Hugs to all on this day. Never forget, never…

I know I will always remember.

-Yari {Jady Day Studio}

P.S. If you need extra strength today and you read the Bible, I recommend these verses in this order: Proverbs 18:10, Psalms 18:2.