So September is in full swing. The feel of September, the feel of our world changed 18 years ago. Where were you? What emotions did you feel, what part of that day do you still carry with you? How our world was changed forever that day.
We had such a false sense of safety, a bravado of untouchable boundaries. Our world came crashing down. Up until 9/11 there were worries there..safety for your kids, our loved ones, keeping our own little world safe and cared for. 9/11 made us open our eyes and a horror like no other was witnessed.
Did your day start out normal? Did you fuss at your kids, aggravated with your significant other and maybe didn’t take the time to kiss them bye, maybe put off calling your parent as you were to overwhelmed with your own world? It was a normal day for everyone of us that ended up being anything but normal.
A normal day at our house. Up and got my son to school, my then husband was up and out to work, I washed up dishes and sat down to feed my 6 week old baby who had been up way early that morning and I was tired. I turned on the TV and watched in horror and confusion as reports piled in about the world trade center. And then to see the second plane fly into that building. I sat there in shock and fear. Holding my baby who’s whole world would be different than the world I grew up in. My heart was torn as to my worry for my son out of my arms. I called my husband and he had just heard about it. Called my mom to make sure she and my dad and sister were ok. Called my office manager as her daughter worked in New York. All the while rocking my baby, shocked that such evil crossed our shores. The thoughts of all the hundreds of people in the twin towers, in Pennsylvania, the Pentagon, the fire and rescue personnel, their families
Whenever there is a tragedy, a life altering event we become introspective about our relationships, about our feelings about ourselves. And during this time our patriotism shined through and how we saw our land of the free and the so many brave. People gave their lives to help save someone, heroes were born and recognized, families waited to see if their loved one was spared, patriotism became an all time high. The towers of strength that were part of the New York landscape tried to hold their own. Their foundation was shaken and so was ours. In a field in Pennsylvania a plane went down with heroes on board trying to thwart the terror attack. The pentagon with it’s fortress type structure was breeched. Multiple sites, multiple people yet each person so special in their own way to their own family. Think about where you were and how you felt? Then think about that wife, husband, parents, children watching what you were seeing and the thoughts of the people they loved and not knowing if they were ever have another touch, hug, an I love you.
Now I am going to go political just a minute. As our world was under attack there was no democrat or republican, there was no prejudices as to who to save that day. The terrorists didn’t discriminate about who they tried to kill based on gender or skin color but more on we were Americans. We as a country pulled together in relief efforts, rescue, memorials, the passion to protect the country we love. And these attacks were committed by people who had such hatred for our country, for us as Americans, the political agendas always in the back ground. How did our sense of pride, respect, patriotism and love for our fellow man disappear? How did we go from where we were as a country to where we are now? There is such a game going on in our government . Pointing fingers, career politicians, focus put on such miniscule happenings to distract the masses from real news. When did we lose respect for the people who are leaders and disrespect each other. Isn’t this a huge lesson– we were hated and targeted by terrorists, their hatred over shadowed the sanctity of the lives of a fellow human being, breached our sense of safety. So why are we okay to let our hatred over a political party cloud how we treat each other. Where did we go to debating and standing up for what you believe in but politely agree to disagree? How did the deep seated hate become part of our landscape? Guess the acts committed on 9/11 are still effecting us today on how we deal with each other.
Let’s then think about all of the people that lost their lives that day thought they had one more hug, one more moment. That they had harsh words with their wife or the wife was going to leave her husband that day or the parents who were estranged from their child and thought they had more time. The families who had to learn their dynamic was forever changed, either by death or by disabilities physical and mental from the fall out of this atrocity. And then think about how we went from one of the biggest acts of terror and a sense of thankfulness that our small world was safe and back to business as usual. How our sense of trust has forever changed, how we went from loving on each other to becoming people burdened down with emotional baggage and closing ourselves off. That we take each other for granted and forgotten how blessed we are to have another day, to have a job that drives us crazy, that we see our child grow up and we have a hand that wants to hold our own.
We all went to bed on 9/10 with normal worries and life stresses. 9/11 our world as we know it has forever been changed and 9/12 started a chapter that we never expected. We held our babies so tight in those days and now those babies are grown and out of arm’s reach but always in our hearts. Think of the babies that lost their parents that day, their lives permanently altered. Some are still married, some like myself divorced, some still searching for the one that their heart beats for. Think of the spouses who regret fussing about the dishes in the sink, the bills, life stresses and so wish they had one more moment to hold their spouse, significant other, wrestle with the covers. The parents who rocked their son or daughter as a baby and had to pick a casket for their final resting place. All the everyday moments we take for granted were stolen from each and everyone k2f these people. So what are we doing to hold on to those that mean the most. We get so caught up in the weeds of life and the doldrums of the days and the minute details while we are missing the most important snapshots of our everydays.
One day, 24 hours where our whole world was turned upside down. The after effects still ripple through our days, our sense of security, shake us to our very core. So what are you going to do about this? Do we give the same platitudes and clutch our pearls and turn our eyes away from the good in our lives. Do we only remember 9/11 and forget the next day and the days that followed? We have been so abundantly blessed with life and love and the chance at another day. So 9/11 is forever branded into our hearts and minds, but 9/12 should be the guide for todays and tomorrows. So let’s not let the sun go down on our anger, that we cut back the weeds of daily life and rejoice on the blessings of family and friends and those special people in our lives. When we focus on the evil in this world and not lift up the bright moments in life, we have let them win again. There is such division in our country, on our homes, how about the spirit of 9/12 re enter our lives and hearts. To all those that lost their lives, that shouldered enormous stress to save lives and sacrifice their own, to the families who had to say good bye to the people they loved, the destruction of property and the scar left on our hearts….you will forever be in our mind, our thoughts and our prayers. May we not let you down but continue to fight the good fight, that we embrace the moments we are given. One moment at a time, one day at a time, one blessing at a time.
