In the first hours of this disaster, it didn't really sink in just how physically close many of us were to the New York portion of this tragedy. (My husband reported seeing distant high smoke clouds from his oil truck in Seaford, our hometown.) I also believe that many of us lost someone we know, or know someone else who has lost someone that they know, in this infamous event in our nation's history.

Along with the space shuttle Challenger explosion in 1986, this is an event in my life in which I will always remember where I was when I "heard the news." It makes me think of my dear mother, who at the age of 23, was in Doctor's Hospital in Freeport, after having given birth to me, her second child. The entire hospital, as well as the rest of the modern world, was in grief at the news of the death of the president, John F. Kennedy. His assassination, on the afternoon of Nov. 22, 1963, had occurred approximately 41 hours after I was born. Yes, apparently I was one of the youngest graduates in our Levittown Division Avenue High School class of 1981. Most people alive in 1963, who were old enough to remember, will never forget Nov.22. Those of us, who are old enough to remember in the year 2001, will never forget September 11.

This past Sunday evening, my family of four, and my in-laws, flew home to New York from Orlando, FL, following my sister-in-law's wedding on a cruise to the Bahamas. As we were heading into LaGuardia Airport, my husband and his father had an unobstructed view of the twin towers. How could we have known, that less than 48 hours later, these towers would be gone forever? I am humbled to think that it could have been our flight. Before we left to go to Orlando, my husband had me sign with him an informal piece of paper declaring who to leave his business to. The reason for this informal departure from the will, is that it suddenly occurred to him that his entire family, his wife, his two sons, his mother, father, and only sibling, who has no children, were all aboard the same flight. It is eerie to me now, in light of the events that occurred so soon after our trip.

As I watched the events unfold on television, I noticed that much of the coverage captured the firefighters in action. I couldn't help but think of our friend Bobby. We know him from many years of traveling to Aruba, as well as visiting with him here on Long Island and in New Jersey. Bobby, as well as a few more of us, own timeshares at the same time each year on the island that we love. Bobby is a New York City firefighter from Yonkers. I was relieved when his live voice came on the phone when I called him yesterday. He told me that he happened to be assigned to stay at his own station on Tuesday, instead of at the disaster area. He said that many people have been calling him. I told him that we loved him, and that we were thinking of him.

On our street, three houses away, lives a family that lost a son/brother, Robert, aged 42, who my husband knew from growing up together in Seaford; in fact my husband, age 40, and Robert's sister Karen, graduated together. Although Robert is not confirmed dead, it does not look good. He worked on the104th floor. He lived in Wantagh, and was married with children. With joy, I yelled, "Johhhhn!" as I waved to my neighbor and friend across the street as he greeted his family early Tuesday afternoon, after making it safely home from Manhattan. My next-door neighbor, Rich, pulled into his driveway safely later that day. He is a married father of two, and a union-painter in the city; and told me that he witnessed some of the explosions; and that he has painted within the twin towers.

I always hang my American flag outside my home on holidays with love and reverence. As I hung it outside on Tuesday, it meant more to me than it ever has, almost bringing me to tears, especially after I listened to the Lee Greenwood classic song that says, "I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free; and I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me; and I'd gladly stand up, next to you, and defend her still today, 'cuz there ain't no doubt, I love this land, God bless the U.S.A." As dear President Bush reminds me, from Psalms, ... "I will fear no evil, for thou art with me."