Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Never Forgotten

"Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children." -President George W. Bush, November 11, 2001
 
 This gesture of defiance shot around the world.  In the midst of chaos, confusion, and nightmare, three men raised a symbol of hope and freedom into a shocked and devastated country and world.
They were determined to make order again, and signaled their intention and determination across the nation, giving us hope that life could go on.
I was seven on 9-11.  I remember coming to breakfast, and Mom coming in nearly crying.  As far as I know, my dad has never cried, but he was close that morning.  Mom told us as calmly as she could that some bad people had stolen planes and knocked down two towers with the planes, and a lot of people had died. 
I understood a little, but it didn't really seem real to me.  I don't know how much L, then five, knew, but we both could tell that Mom and Dad were upset.
Mom didn't want Dad to go to work.  He went ahead and went, but I think he went late.    Mom told us not to worry about doing school that day, and sent us out to play.  Then she watched the news for a bit.  I came in once and saw her watching, but before I could see what was on the TV, she shut it off so I couldn't see it.  I got curious, and I kept trying to come in to see, but she never let me get close enough to see it.
 This just freaked me out more.  I knew if she wouldn't let me see it, it was really bad.  I had nightmares for a long time.  Of course, not having seen actual footage, my nightmares were just slightly different versions of reoccurring nightmares, so they weren't that bad.  I think they would have been considerably worse if Mom had let me see the footage.  Even looking at pictures of it now to find the picture I used here amazed me.  I probably won't have nightmares now, although I'm sure I would have if Mom had let me see it then.
The Al Quaida  terrorists made history.  They pulled off the first attack on US soil (Hawaii was only a territory at the time of Pearl Harbor).  But the history-making ends there.  They were not the first, only the second, group to find out what happens when one of the most powerful nations in the world is justly enraged.
Eleven years ago, four planes stunned the world.  But the stories that have come out in the intervening time are incredible.  People giving up their lives to save others.  People who were running late and missed their flight or didn't get to work.  An entire flight of people who knew they were going to die, and chose to die saving others lives rather than taking them.  Soldiers who are still fighting Al Quaida, still giving their lives to ensure this never happens again.
What happened eleven years ago was horrible.  Three thousand people died on that day, and subsequent days from injuries sustained that day.  More died in the years since, fighting for their country.  Every one of those is mourned by someone.  And all of them are mourned by the nation.
Many are the lives this has touched.  They will not forget.  We cannot afford to forget either.  The day we forget is the day we lose a part of who we are as a nation.
Never Forgotten
pointe4Jesus
~Dancing for Him Who died for me.  Even in the rain.~
 (I don't know what the deal is with the spacing this time.  I'll try to have it figured out and normal next time.)