Where were you?

Do you remember where you were 9 years ago today?

I was headed to work, I had just pulled into the parking lot when the announcer on the radio said that a plane crashed into the World Trade Center.

At that point, it just seemed like a freak accident, really bad, really sucky luck for those on the airplane, and in the building. Yet an hour later, and it wasn’t so accidental, when a second plane crashed into the other tower. I was standing in the break room at work with the TV on and about a dozen of us watched as the second plane hit. I can’t even begin to describe the disbelief and shock as I watched that second plane.

I’m not overly patriotic, but today, I’m afraid that the majority of us have forgotten. On one hand we needed to forget in order to be able to move forward. Because whether or not we wanted it too, life went on. We got up and we went to work, and to the grocery store, and to pick up the dry cleaning, because, as much of a cliché as it is, life goes on.

I was pleased to see that the city in which I live, some businesses chose to let their respect for those people who died on those airplanes, and in the towers, as well as all of the soldiers that we have lost in the last 9 years. Yet there were some, that just couldn’t let go of the need to support the local, rather large universities football game that evening. They flew flags representing the university.

While I remember where I was, to a certain extent I have even forgotten. I live in West Texas, which is thousands of miles away from New York and Pennsylvania. While my life was forever changed that day, my life wasn’t as affected as those who lost family and friends that day. I can’t imagine how different there lives are, and you can guarantee that they haven’t forgotten, they have to live without those people everyday for the rest of their lives.

Tell me we haven’t forgotten, when this city was too worried about supporting the local football team instead of remembering that, 1. America isn’t immune and 2. The countless lives that were lost on that day, the day that will have the same effect on our history, just as Pearl Harbor had on our grandparents’ history.

It’s unfortunate that it takes a tragedy to remind people of what is really important.

~ This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis

~ Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die. ~Dwight D. Eisenhower

~ It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you. ~Author unknown
~ Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall. ~John Dickinson