Today is the 18th Anniversary of a tragic event for my country. I will never forget how it made me feel – it left an indelible mark on my psyche.

I was only sixteen, and was in school when it happened. The first plane hit during 1st period and no one in the room knew about it. Class let out and the halls were eerily silent and people were whispering.  I got to pottery class and our teacher had the TV on, and that’s how I found out.

Everyone was totally dumbstruck. I cried and cried, and I want to cry thinking about it.

My uncle’s whole battalion (firefighters) died. He had just retired.

My pastor’s cousin died in the Pentagon.

It touched us all in some way.

Hatred is an ugly thing.