My First Blood Donation

I was a Freshmen in college at Southern Adventist University, and had just finished a conference with Mrs. Pyke, my Comp 101 professor, about an essay rough draft.  Next on my agenda that morning was donating blood, since the "Blood-Mobile" was on-campus, and I'd never done it before. Walking through the doors of Wright Hall, the ad building, to register to donate, I could tell something was different.  My aunt, who worked at Southern, came around the corner and saw me as I finished signing up.  "Andrea, you have to see this."  She took me to the left, and down the hall where a small television hung from the ceiling to occupy those waiting to be helped by the financial aid office.  There, a good-size group had gathered, and I saw for the first time re-runs of both of the twin towers collapsing.  Horrified faces on the screen were mirrored by the small group in the hall.  Questions buzzed around.  Soon afterward, I stepped into the Blood-Mobile, and went through the process to donate blood for the first time (lots of great awkward questions).  The radio was playing over the sound-system, different people commentating and reporting.  Reporters made appeals for blood donations, as the assistant stuck the needle in my arm.  I couldn't get the images out of my mind. I couldn't really wrap my mind around what had happened.  It really felt like the end of the world.  My dad was across the country, supposed to be flying back that day, but all flights were cancelled, and no one was saying when they would start again.  It felt like everything that was once sure became unsure in that one day.  The future looked hazy and scary, especially just starting college.

People often say that a lot changed that day.  It's true, a lot did.  But I think it's mostly us that have changed.  We've gotten used to an insecure world.  We've found enough security to live on, yet we forget how quickly things can change.  And that's one more reason to Remember 9/11/01.