Yes, security has been upped everywhere. Airports, roadblocks, more attention being paid to suspicious activity.
Ahhhh....I remember EXACTLY what I did on September 11th, 2001. After my husband and kids went off to work and school, I took our youngest, strapped him into his car seat and was on my way to an appointment. We got there, and some lady came in, crying. She was one of the people who worked there. She was screaming (well, speaking very loudly and excitedly) "Did you hear about what happened at the WTC? A plane just crashed into it!!!"
They finished up with us as quickly as possible...probably rushed things. No big deal because we were there for replenishment on WIC checks. Once we left, I had to go to the bank to deposit a check into my account...they had signs up saying "Closed due to emergency." I didn't know what could have possibly happened that they would close a bank?
Then I saw fire and police emergency vehicles passing by, sirens wailing. I had NO idea what was going on, but the sky was filled with smoke - even from where I was, in Staten Island. I just got home as quickly as possible, turned on the TV. It was on every channel, and there were live pictures of what was going on...even pictures of the plane hitting the buildings. My stomach rolled, and I sank to the floor. I couldn't BELIEVE this. I got online to try getting ahold of my husband and it was all over the news there as well...people were IMing me asking if I was all right since pretty much, this was in my own back yard. Part of my city.
My mother saw everything happen from her window at work...she had a view of the WTC from there and actually watched, open mouthed, as the buildings were struck and then collapsed. My stepfather arrived home with ash and dirt on his clothes. My sisters got home from school and glued themselves in front of the television. My mother eventually grabbed them and brought them to my house where I was just as obsessed with getting answers about what the heck was going on in NYC, Washington DC and Pennsylvania...
No one I love was injured in any way, thank god, but I did find out that a friend of mine lost her husband who worked for Cantor Fitzgerald. A young man I went to high school with and was in some of my classes was killed...was a rookie firefighter....22 years old. How terrible.
My heart was broken to see just how evil people can be. Things that have happened to me in the past just seem so minimal compared to some of the pain caused to hundreds and thousands of people by the 9/11 tragedy. So many families were broken, and many dreams, hopes and wishes, shattered. I do hope they find peace within themselves, somehow...
As for New York City...it will never be the same. The site where the towers used to be is empty now...and there is a cross made out of steel that was once part of the buildings itself. Always saddens me to remember that day.
All we can do is pray that no one has to go through that again.
Malfoyish