My september 11th was not a story of enlightenment. I remember I was in gym class in 8th grade and the news came on the loud speaker that a terrorist attack had occured in New York City. I did not think much of it because I was very young and I went on with my day. I remember the biggest think I was thinking about was whether or not I was going to get out of Karate class that day.

However I did feel something that I haven't felt since that day. Pride. I was proud to be American that day, even at that young age. I remember watching tv when George W. Bush was at ground zero. He had a loud speaker and he was talking to all the fireman and other people helping the cause. He said that America would get however did this to us. He said by any means necessary, America would retaliate and justice would be served. Then I remember everybody chanting "U-S-A! U-S-A!" I admit I started chanting at home. 

I felt a fire in my stomach and my adrenaline started going through the roof. I was really truely proud to be American because in that minute or two of chanting, we all stopped thinking of ourselves and started thinking about the country. We all started thinking about each other. We put the greater good ahead of ourselves.

Of course what followed wasn't what we had in mind but I will remember feeling that for the rest of my life as I stood, not sat, in front of my television in my room on September 11, 2001.