7 Days in September

This is one of those movies that changes the way you look at the world. For the entire length of this documentary, I sat in bed with my hand over my mouth, unable to look away. Being a child during 9/11, I was shielded from the news, the sheer terror, and ...I'm having a hard time thinking of words right now... I guess just the truth of what had really happened. I understand why my parents, teachers, and friends felt the need to do this. At the age of 10, I don't think I could have handled knowing the truth or seeing the footage. But now, at 21, I felt it was time to face what really happened. I feel like my generation has been done a disservice by not seeing what really happened. I don't feel like my classmates and friends really understand what happened or what it meant to New Yorkers or the American people as a whole. Seeing this documentary really opened my eyes to the truth. It was a raw first-hand account of the events surrounding the Tri-State area. Through the lenses of the filmmakers, I witnessed things I never hope to see again. I had to keep reminding myself that it was real, not a horror movie. This really happened. People really died like this. The accounts of the children were probably the most stirring. Kids, younger than I was at the time, understood exactly what happened. They were fearful but not defeated. They knew what they had to do to keep moving forward and help. While I was being told the Towers didn't actually get hit (yes, that's what my GIFTED teacher at the time thought was best to tell us), these kids were rallying together and giving back. It's emotional and it's scary. I'm probably going to have to sit here alone for the next few minutes to gather my composure and my thoughts before I can move on.

I know it's not something people like to do, watch movies that make them think, cry, or relive painful memories, but sometimes it's necessary. If you have a Netflix account, I highly recommend searching for this documentary and watching every minute of it. It gets hard at times, but don't look away. Take the time to think about what it all meant and what it all still means. It will make you a better person in the end.