I went to the office, forwarded my calls & turned around & went back home. I missed the first tower collapsing on my drive, but remembering that day still brings a visceral reaction. I was in too much shock that day to even cry much, but I do remember crying that night, not only for those who had died, but for those whom I knew would be going off to fighting a war against these monsters. But it really didn't hit me full force until a few days later. I just lost it. Unfortunately, I was driving at the time--I had to pull over.
The most eerie thing was sitting outside on the porch on a gorgeous fall evening & seeing no planes, nothing in the sky except stars....and I remember taking the dog for a walk the day the planes were allowed to fly again & seeing a commercial flight being led by two small jets--the first planes I'd seen since 9/11. I got the chills thinking, "is this how we're going to have to live?" And the answer was, "yes."
I'm over the shock. My grief has abated, but my anger has turned into a cold, cold resolve.
I remember the same feeling, and I also remember the feeling I had when I saw the first plane back in the sky.