For nearly everyone in America who was beyond kindergarten in 2001, the list of so-called “flashbulb memories” is most likely topped by the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.
We all seem to remember our personal circumstances: Where we were, what we were doing, whom we were with, and what we were thinking when the awful news broke.
We also cannot forget how we felt that September morning when we first saw orange fireballs erupting and black smoke streaming from the Twin Towers, defacing the serene, blue New York City sky.
By sharing individual recollections of that day, we further forge our shared identity—not only as Americans, but also as human beings….