9/11 was pretty stressful here. Nothing like emergency responders that day of course, but it did ruffle my little world.
I was a high school band director at the time, and only days before I took tons of flack for spending too much time on teaching the flag code, and preparing the national anthem and such. We were 'in the way of the team' having the National Guard present the colors on the field pre-game, and the ceremony would be better 'off the field' and back in the end-zones or stands.
Then the towers fell. All of the sudden we weren't allowed to do ANYTHING but wave flags and play, "I'm proud to be an American" over and over again (even the national anthem took backseat to letting off red white and blue balloons and smoke bombs, and passing out thousands of little flags made in China to wave to POPriotic tunes). It was a mixed emotion, as it was a very small role to play in delivering some small assistance in the nation's healing, but it was also a nightmare in that very little of musical value was actually learned that year. People meant well in wanting to rally and display the colors, but I think more flags were dropped and trampled than were ever flown 'properly'.
Yes, I know it is small potatoes compared to people who actually lost loved ones, or were there that day trying to clean up the mess, or dealt with all the traffic in airports and public arenas, and on and on. Still, it reached out and changed our lives, and forced us to 'react' to our surroundings.
Before it was all said and done...I wanted to choke lots of folks, and lots of folks wanted to choke me.
However you choose to express your love for your country, I hope it is done with daily respect. Next time, lets not wait for the terrorists to force our hand, and lets not get so consumed with it that it changes everything we'd set out to do beforehand.
Just a wish......just one of the many emotions and struggles I personally had during the attack, and several months afterward. It did change my entire life and career...........as I'm sure it probably has all of yours as well.