.
it's been ten years since I returned to my dorm room after my 8 am calculus class, turned on the tv like I always did, and was flipping through the channels when something caught my eye.


it was one of the twin towers on fire.


I watched, confused and horrified, as the plane flew into the second tower.

I called my parents. I needed to hear their voices.

I watched both towers collapse later that day in the engineering building.


earlier today we watched the footage from that morning on the news, and even after all this time, from another country clear across the ocean, my heart skipped a beat. none of us spoke a word while watching.
we couldn't.


it was the first time I had seen the video since I watched the events live in 2001.


I hadn't ceased to affect me.

I don't think it ever will.

.