Remember And Never Forget

Today is a day that still produces raw emotions for some Americans, including myself.  I can still remember everything about that day and the short days that followed.

For me, I was in college and awoke like it was any other morning.  I walked across campus to my morning class, thinking next year I would make sure not to have early morning classes.  I walked into my class and took my seat as usual, but once others started arriving I kept hearing, "The World Trade Center was hit, an airplane crashed right into the tower."  This was the only information we had heard, we only knew about one tower.  Our professor came in like everything was normal and began the lesson.  I remember thinking to myself, either he doesn't know or doesn't want to talk about it.  Then about half way through the class he stopped and told us about when he was at University of Texas and the shooting from the Texas Bell Tower.  He said it was a tragedy and changed his life forever.  He said there is evil in this world and sometimes we will never understand why people hurt each other.  That was the longest 50 minutes and to this day I don't remember anything my professor said.

As more information came in and more pictures on the tv, pictures that will forever be in my memory, all I wanted to do was call my family.  As you can imagine, the phone lines were busy that day and I wasn't able to get through till later that afternoon.  I was thousands of miles away from New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, but we were all united as a country as we watched in horror and felt the pain and shock that this was happening.

It has been 12 years, but it will always be a day that weighs heavy on my heart.  Now having two children of my own, I feel the weight even more.  I sit here with tears in my eyes thinking about it, but I can't seem to find the words.  I do know that I am proud to be an American and extremely thankful to the men and women that fight for our freedom everyday.

Today is a day that I will always remember, it is a day that brings so many emotions, even anger and hurt when I look at the pictures again.  Pictures in my memory and pictures on the tv or internet.   It is a day that changed my life forever, a day for many that they lost someone they loved.  For them, it is a whole in their hearts that will never be properly mended, an empty seat at the dinner table.  For today, and everyday, I ask you to never forget and to always be thankful for each day.  We move forward, because that is what we have to do, but we NEVER forget!

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"If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate" Sandy Dahl, the wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl.