Never Forget

Today is September 11th.  I can remember this same day back in 2001 clearly.  I had dropped off Peanut Butter to school and was taking Jelly to his grandparent's house / daycare.  I was just a few months pregnant with Peanut Butter and had barely even started to show yet. I heard a news report on the radio that stated a plane had flown into one of the twin towers. It seemed just like one of those freak accidents. I was startled, but it was also clear there was not a lot more information yet.  It wasn't clear it was a terrorist attack on our country.

Dropped off Jelly and then made it to the office about 10 minutes later.  Someone had the TV on in the conference room, so we were congregating there.  I watched it all unfold. I sat in horror watching the plane hit the second tower; and then both towers collapse. It was too unbelievable for words, really.  The shock was stunning. I remember thinking that all I wanted to do was go pick up my kids and take them home, keep them safe, which is exactly what I ended up doing. I wondered what type of world I was bringing kids into. Who does this kind of stuff? What the hell is wrong with people?

Since that day, I have seen my country's pride swell. I have seen my fellow Americans really step up where it counted.  I have seen us all give new appreciation to our first responders.  What the terrorists tried to stop and destroy, they only strengthened within us.

I didn't know anyone on any of the downed flights.  I didn't know anyone who worked in the WTC or even lived in New York. I've never even been to New York. But on Sept. 11, every American is a New Yorker. I'm proud of us and will always be grateful to live in this nation. It may not be perfect; it may even be far from it, but I would rather live here than anywhere else. It truly IS the land of the free, the home of the brave.