9-11, Eleven Years Later

For me, like most others, 9-11 is a day permanently etched in my memory. I remember exactly where I was when I heard it. I remember the first class I had that day when it was talked about. I remember exactly what I was wearing: a pink plaid shirt, blue jeans, and pink flip-flops with my hair in a half ponytail. I remember going home and flipping through the channels and seeing the news about the event on every channel, even some channels that were not normally news stations. I remember sitting there watching the towers fall down over and over on the news as it was replayed and crying and feeling afraid and sad. I was 14 years old and just starting to realize that the world was a much bigger and more frightening place than my tiny town. It was an eye-opening experience.

11 years later it is still sad for me to think about but I am no longer afraid. I realize now that is what they wanted: fear. That is the whole point of terrorism. My heart still breaks for those thousands who lost family and dear friends. I can imagine what sadness they still must feel. In the intervening years I have lost my own father and it is a hard thing to lose a loved one.

I wish terrorism wasn't real. I wish the world was a more understanding and peaceful place. The world has been a different place to me since that event and I imagine for many more people as well. I wonder was growing into adulthood during the post 9-11 years any different that it would have been had 9-11 never occurred? I guess I will never know the answer to that question.

Today I would like to honor the memory of those who perished, send up a prayer for those who survived them, and commit to trying to make the world a more peaceful and less fearful place for my own child either by making a change in my community or simply raising him to love God, love life, live it to its fullest, and not be afraid.