I was sick, and was at home for the day from school. I was watching some silly game show(back when there were only 6 channels to chose from) when Dan Rather cut in to tell us the awful news. Even at that young age I knew it was something horrible and beyond my young mind's comprehension. We had been studying about this flight in school. This was the first time NASA had trained a teacher, Christa McAuliffe, to be an astronaut. I went to tell my mom and together we sat on the couch and watched the tragedy. You just don't forget days like that.
I'm sure everyone has days that stick out in your mind. The JFK assassination, 9/11 or countless others. Where you were when you received that phone call, found out some important news, saw someone for the first or last time. Maybe you can even remember what the weather was like or what you were wearing. I can even remember smells. Yes, a little strange I would admit. The mind is a funny thing. And associations of the mind are a strong thing.
It was a June afternoon, I was fixing a salad for dinner and Chris was outside with the kids. I received a call from my brother that something was really wrong with my dad and I should come down to the hospital right away. He didn't know anything and couldn't give me any details. I rushed out and was sitting at the intersection of Holt Road and Washington Street when a feeling came over me that there was no reason to rush anymore... he was already gone. And I would soon find out it was true. I think about that every time I go through that intersection.
Ryan was always my baby who woke up early. So it was just us on the couch early on the morning of September 11, 2001. We were watching the news and saw it all happen. I've never been so confused and scared. I didn't know what to do but hold my baby boy and wonder what this world had come to. I will never forget sharing that moment with him.
And still to this day I have a strong aversion to Elizabeth Taylor's White Diamonds perfume. I was already experiencing morning sickness and a weak stomach with my second pregnancy. So it didn't help that the ultra-sound tech was wearing an enormous amount of that particular perfume when she did my ultra-sound to confirm my due-date. I was only about 6 weeks along. But an added bonus was when she told me I was having twins! I was by myself (Chris was working) and I started crying. What?!?! There was no way!!! What I see now was good news... was a little hard to handle that first few minutes. They even offered to call someone for me. (funny to look back on it...) And so I never smell White Diamonds perfume without thinking of that ultra-sound tech and her life-changing news.
Strangely, I can even remember how I was sitting in church when an earthquake hit here back in the 80's. We all ran out of the church because we thought it was an airplane crash. (The church was just a mile or so from the airport.) Now that was some rockin' pews.
Or when the clock reads 6:37, 1:58 or 2:53 and I always think of how those are the times my kids were born!
Does anyone else remember or take note of details like this?? I hope so. Those are part of our life stories.
But, I don't know... maybe I'm just the odd-ball who remembers what song was on the radio during the first car accident I was ever in. I never did like Reba McEntire anyway.... :)
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