Today is today. I wouldn't have it any other way.

TL;DR midway through

So I know there are many many ways to remember this day but I wanted to share my own.

In 2001, I was 4. My family moved back to the states after being stationed in Spain for 3 years. We moved in in August. I just started Pre-K and was doing as kids do and kid around. That day was... different to me. Not memorable. Not odd. Just different. That isn't to say I don't remember the day. I do. I went to school. A while later my mom came to pick me up and we went home. It wasn't odd until I got home. My mom wouldn't let me watch tv and I played on the computer for a while but it felt odd. I wouldn't think about it for a while.

10 years later, 10, I was in middle school, 8th grade. This is why I remember today. It was close end of the final period. I was packing my things when the PA system came on. I can't remember the specific words said but the faculty told the teachers it was time to play the video sent to them in an email. We had a projector system connected to the computers. We turned off the lights and the video began. I didn't know. I didn't know for 10 FUCKING years. I didn't understand at first. I didn't know what the Twin towers were. I didn't know what Al Queada was. I didn't know what terrorism was. I didn't know how to interpret what I was feeling. I didn't know if I hated myself, hated my parents, or hated to hate. Ultimately, I putted my face down on my arms on top of my desk and waited for it to be over. The video eventually ended. I recomposed myself and at bell ring I proceeded home, silent. As I crossed the threshold, I greeted my mom who was downstairs and simply asked "Did you know someone attacked the twin towers?" She replied "Yes." And I went up to my room and fell asleep.

TL;DR @OP didn't know about 9/11 for 10 years and it fucked him up.

I know some of you are probably wondering "How could you not know about it for 10 years? Are your parents overprotective?" To the latter, no. And to the former, it was never a topic. I'm not stupid. It's just that we didn't really talk about terrorism.

I really don't know how to close this off and I don't know what kind of questions to anticipate. So please feel free to ask them in the comments.