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"9-11" One year ago, I was riding home from a dentist appointment with my son when we heard on the radio that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center.
I remember that my first thoughts were that a small, private plane had malfunctioned and somehow wound up crashing into the building. It never ocurred to me that the New York skyline, and in fact, our world would be changed forever.
Just a short while later while watching the video footage of the first crash, and hearing sketchy news coverage, I sat with my 7 year old son and watched live as the 2nd plane hit. Then stood, still watching later and saw the proud towers tumble to the ground in flames and smoke.
I remember details of that morning, like yesterday. Or, at least last week. As my mother and father might remember where they were when JFK was assassinated, or when they heard the news of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s death.
A year later I'm a little older and a whole lot wiser. I realize how quickly life can change and how vulnerable we as humans are to every little whim of a madman.
I realized, more than ever, that we need to live each day to the fullest. It could be our last day, or the last day of someone close to us.
As has been said many times this last year, we need to hug longer, to love deeper, appreciate those special ones in our lives.
I want to remember 9-11-01, but not just the tragedies and the deep sadness. I want to remember and keep alive the positive things that came from the ashes. The patriotism and the appreciation for each other. The level of tolerance for our fellow man, elevated just a little higher. A little less road rage, a little more concern for someone broken down on the side of the road.
Our country may not be the perfect beacon of hope some politicians running for office might have you believe. There may be many problems and concerns to address and cope with. We may still have a long way to go on loving our fellow man. What our country is, is the best thing going, in a world gone mad.
We have resources and gifts and talents. We have amazing and resilient people. All different backgrounds, and ethnic origins. Americans.
As 9-11 comes and goes, I want to remember that, for whatever reason, we were born into this country. We are citizens of an amazing place, at an amazing time in history. Sometimes perilous, and sometimes, victorious. For whatever reason, certain people died horrific, and heroic deaths last year in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D. C., but we did not.
I want to remember those heroes and victims, living and dead, and remember, too, that we are all still here. Here to continue to live, and thrive. To teach, to learn, to live, to love, and to be individually, what we were meant to be.
We are Americans, we are strong, we are proud. We are also blessed, and incredibly graced to be alive and grateful, this September 2002. This year........we remember.
God bless America,
& God bless you....
Check out this awesome 'tribute' link...........
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