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lime pine cones

For the past few weeks, we have been working day in and day out on our upcoming retail shows. I have been ordering, organizing, buying, building, cutting trees, and spraying pine cones. Yep, spraying pine cones, lime in fact. We are excited for these shows and have been preparing a great deal for them. We have had to break out the saws, hammers, and spray paint cans to get these booths together. It will be worth it in the end, but wow can it tire you out.

In the middle of our preparations and all of our going ons, we get word that our parents will both be undergoing individual surgeries in the coming weeks (yes, we should have a frequent surgery family pass)... and then, to top it off my mom gets violently ill AND shares it with me! So, I have been down for the count the past four days (miserable) and found out today that my dad got it yesterday. I guess the family that shares stays together.

On Wednesday, my brother and I get to select hundreds of lamps for our shows in a hot warehouse. YAY! The fun never ends. Actually, we can't wait to get our hands dirty and select some awesome lamps. This quarter is going to fly by... one lime pine cone at a time!

in remembrance

If you haven't seen the film "102 Minutes that Changed America," watch it the next time it is on. It will make you remember where you were that day. For me, I got to school early because my Business Law professor will not open the door after 8:00 AM. So, I always got there early at 7:30 AM. I sat in my assigned seat (yes, some college professors are that trivial). I got out my book and notepad preparing for yet another long, boring lecture from a mean, monotone professor.

It was 8:01 AM and the classroom door was slammed shut. I notice a few people weren't in class, but I started mentally preparing for this lecture. My friend Nima was sitting beside me. We both gave each other a look of disgust as Dr. Reynolds started in on some ridiculous law that we would never apply in real-life. Then, there was a tap at the door. A very annoyed Dr. Reynolds stopped talking and went over the door. Outside was a small group of our fellow students. They were crying and others looked like they heard really bad news. He talked briefly with them. We figured he would have told them to scram like he usually does when someone is late. Sidenote: He had a very strict attendance policy and that is why anyone would ever come to class when something was going on.

NYC Love Monument

So, these five students came in and took their seats. We were all concerned and started asking what was wrong. Dr. Reynolds tried to get the class back on track, but that was next to impossible. We learned that one of the Twin Towers in NYC was on fire and they thought a bomb went off or an airplane flew into it. Normally upon hearing this type of news would have been tragic and we would have gone on with class. However, one of the girls' brother worked in that tower and she couldn't get a hold of him.

Dr. Reynolds shrugged off this girl with an explanation that small planes fly into buildings all the time and he was sure that everyone was being evacuated. Well, that just set that girl off. She wailed and then her phone rang and she told us that another plane hit the second tower. She said they think that we are under attack. She started for the door and Dr. Reynolds went into a tirade about how if anyone leaves that we will be deducted a letter grade. Did I mention he was mean?

Ground Zero Cross

Therefore, he left the class no choice, but to band together and walk out. We all dispersed as soon as we got to the lobby, but a majority of us headed over to the Woodmore Cafe. As soon as we got there, they started replaying the second plane impact. It went silent in rather busy cafe on any other given day. We couldn't talk. Some started crying. Others started dialing loved ones. I just stood there. It was like we were in a Jerry Bruckheimer film. We saw the President give his speech from Florida. It was surreal. Then, I heard my phone go off. It was my mom. She said that I needed to get somewhere safe. There were rumors that Oak Ridge was a likely target.

I will have to tell you that this is when it got real, very real for me. I asked Nima to walk with me to my car and we would follow each other home. He lived a mile from me. As we walked, across campus someone shouted at him to go back to the Middle East. We didn't think it was directed at him at first, but it was soon realized that we was being mistaken for some other culture. Nima is a Persian-American. I felt angry, not just at the ignorant student but at everything. I freely admit that from then on, I too looked at Middle Easterners differently. We didn't know who did this to America on that day, but I think we all knew where they derived from. I'm not condoning group blame, but I think my guard was raised. Even when I flew after 9/11, I think I looked at everyone differently.

It was truly the first time in my life where I thought violence was the answer. I wanted President Bush to drop the A-Bomb on them. But who was the them? I didn't know. All I knew was that I was angry and this was my generation's Pearl Harbor. I got home and stayed in front of the TV for the next few days with my roommate. When my parents felt it was okay to drive home to Jackson, I left for home listening to probably every song about American-pride that was out there. When I got into West TN, I remember every bridge was covered with huge flags and signs that read God Bless America. My heart swelled with pride.

Many perished that day and many have perished since, but I hold tight to the fact that through it all God was there. He was the people on the planes. He was holding the hands of those who had no other choice, but to jump from the skyscrapers. He was with all of the police, rescue workers, firefighters, and first responders who gave up their own lives to save the lives of others. I have tried many times to put myself in each of their shoes through the years. What would I have done? Would I have been calm? Would I have stayed behind? Would I have jumped? Many unanswered questions, but one thing I hold dear and steadfast is that I know God would be with me through it all. Never Forget.

"The world breaks everyone, and then some become strong in the broken places."

 - Hemingway ("Farewell to Arms")