Human pain does not let go of its grip at one point in time. Rather, it works its way out of our consciousness over time. There is a season of sadness. A season of anger. A season of tranquility. A season of hope.
–Robert Veninga
I was on my way to work when I heard about the first plane. I remember thinking it was probably an accident, like the plane impact on the Empire State building. I passed by Tinker Air Force Base on the way; it was guarded but nothing too crazy. The second plan crashed into the second building and I remember thinking that we would be going to war with someone. I called my wife and told her not to leave home. Being a state employee they told us to go home ourselves. Passed by Tinker again… there was a tank, several 50mm Brownings, and lots of concrete barricades. I almost enlisted right there but they wouldn’t let any non-military traffic into the base (my wife didn’t find out about that till a couple years later… she was not happy.)
I got home, hugged my wife and daughter, and cried…