On this tenth anniversary of the day our world changed, Band Back Together remembers the sacrifices so many made on September 11, 2001.

We celebrate the spirit that the American people possess that allowed us to learn and grow from this national tragedy.

Our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones and those who continue to give of themselves protecting our country from those who want to cause harm to our people. 

If you want to share your memories of 9/11 or how it's changed you, we will be taking submissions all month. Submit them as you normally would.

Today we Band Together to remember 9/11.

My best friend and I went to an early breakfast. I had to be at work by 8, so we met at 7 and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast. I don't remember what I had. It hardly seems to matter now. I know we talked about our boyfriends. Hers was working on tug boats and was in New York Harbor. Mine was starting his senior year of high school (I'd graduated in May).

I went to work. She went to babysit until she had to be at work (we both worked at the same place). We would see each other that afternoon.

I worked in a sub place; we sliced all our own meats and cheeses, so there was always prep work to be done before we opened. The other staff and I always had the radio blaring-not necessarily listening to it over our chatter, but it was on. I remember we were laughing, talking about life in general when the morning show we were listening to starting talking about a plane hitting the World Trade Center in New York.

At first, we thought it was a joke - they often played the "Guess which news story is real and which is fake" game. We listened for a few moments, our eyes getting wider, our voices getting quieter as we realized it wasn't a joke. We turned on the satellite TV and watched in dumbfounded horror as the second plane hit the tower. We couldn't look away. We lived in a small town in coastal South Carolina, but we watched and cried as the news came in.

The best friend I'd had breakfast with that morning called. Her boyfriend worked on the tug boats from our town to New York. He was scheduled to arrive in NY that day and she couldn't reach him. I stayed on the phone as long as I could, reassuring her that he would be safe. He was in the harbor, he wasn't in the city, he was on a boat and not on land.

Hours went by. We watched as the other planes did their damage. We didn't understand what was happening. My best friend finally got in touch with her boyfriend, he had watched both planes from New York harbor. He was safe, cell phone service was spotty, but he was safe and would call again when service got better.

I remember going home. I remember crying, knowing my four-month old daughter would grow up in a world where terrorism was a fact, not just some theory brought up on the world news every once in awhile.

I painted the back windshield of my car with an American flag and "We will never forget."

I remember my dad asking my why I was doing it, and telling him I needed to do something to show my support. I had wanted to join the Navy, but couldn't when I got pregnant. I am the granddaughter and niece of Veterans. I'm proud of my country. I wore red, white and blue ribbons to work. We hung a flag in the window, our boss searched for almost two weeks before he found one; they were selling out in stores faster than they could be stocked. Radio stations played "God Bless the USA" every hour it seemed.

Our nation became a mama grizzly bear after you've attacked her cubs. We were NOT going to take this by backing down.

It's been 10 years and our nation's scars are still raw. I still can't watch footage of these attacks without tearing up.

I pray this war ends. I pray our troops come home.

Mostly, I pray for those who have fallen. I pray their families find peace.

I pray their families find light.

I pray. I remember.

It was supposed to be just another Tuesday.