Remembering 9-11

Today is a very solemn day. It is the day we remember how our nation was attacked and so many innocent people died for no good reason (there really isn't ANY good reason when it comes to death...). It is a date that is firmly etched in our memories. We can close our eyes and remember exactly what we were doing and where we were. I remember the blue of the sky..not a cloud to be found. The air was crisp with the promise of the coming of autumn. The sun was bright. It was my first day of going back to school as an adult after spending 13 years raising my children. I was excited to see what the future would hold.

After dropping everyone off at their destinations, I stopped home to change and get myself together before heading out to class. I turned the tv on as I got ready and saw the replay of the first plane that hit the towers.....

I couldn't comprehend what I was seeing. All I could think of was "that plane is going to hit the building!" And sure enough..it did. I didn't have the time to let it really sink in until I was listening to the radio on my short drive to school. I remember thinking to myself that the whole world had gone insane.

My school was located in the upstairs suites of a local mall (at that time). There was an electronics store by the entrance and I stopped for a few minutes to watch the coverage. I remember someone who was standing there next to me saying that their spouse was called up to head down. I was absolutely heart broken. A few minutes into class it was announced that they were going to close the schools in my city, so I headed out without hesitation to grab my kids. This was something too scary to deal with, and I needed them close. But, by that time, it had been determined that it was better to keep the kids there, where their teachers could help explain what was going on. But I still went and pulled my daughter, who had just started pre-k, out of school for the day. (I left my boys, who were in middle school and high school at the time, in school.)

I remember my (then) husband calling from work saying that they were evacuating the capital building and the Corning Towers. (You can see the obvious reasoning for this in the photo.)


I also remember how quiet it was with the skies emptied of airliners. It just felt odd. (We always had planes going overhead as we were in a flight path, I guess.) I also remember how people put aside their differences, and for a time we were one nation under God. We prayed. We filled the churches. We held hands with strangers. We never asked God why He let this happen. We asked, instead, for peace, healing and strength. We cried along with others as the horrific images made their way to our evening news and newspapers. We were outraged that it happened.


We felt pride when our flag was unfurled at the sight of the impact at the Pentagon, a place that was the single biggest monument to our armed forces.
 

We cried for those who died in a small field in Pennsylvania. People who bravely fought terror in another airliner doomed for attack. Innocent people just going about their daily routines. They knew they were going to die, regardless. They wanted to save the ones who were on the ground, the ones who would die when the plane reached its target destination (we're still not completely sure of where that was, but it was speculated that it was bound for the White House).

I still cringe when I see the footage from that day, as the planes smack into the Twin Towers. I still feel sad and heartbroken when I think of all of those who never made it out alive. I still spend every 9-11 listening to songs about that day and watching the specials about it. I remember watching the movie "The Guys" with tears in my eyes. The seemingly endless streams of funerals and memorials... and the person given the task of having to write the eulogies for those who fell. How do you even.....

The whole point of this post is that we should never take tomorrow for granted. We should remember those who gave their lives, and continue to do so, for our freedom. I don't care what your political views are. I don't care who you voted for. I will always remember the times that we all came together in times of disaster and horror. I will always stand proud as an American and what our flag stands for. I refuse to "take a knee" when they play the National Anthem, because I know how high the price of freedom is. I think it's something we ALL need to remember. Think about it the next time someone has something to say about our flag and our country.

Here's a little reminder: Have You Forgotten?

Love, Blessings, and Peace to you all. 💙 ☮️ ✝️ 💙