These Are the Days

9/11 is one of those phrases that immediately evokes a reaction for anyone alive 9/11/2001. Since that day, so much has been debated, so many events have transpired, conspiracy theories have been bandied about, & the events have been highly politicized. Throw that out the window for today & focus just on that day. Focus how you felt when you saw the planes hitting the towers. Focus how you felt when you felt when you saw those buildings toppling to the ground like some sick game of dominoes. Everyone know exactly where they were the day the world changed. Our sense of security was stolen by thieves as America watched in horror. It was such a horrible, terrible feeling & was, for the first & only time, I did not feel safe as an American. It wasn’t that I thought something was going to happen to me. It was so many fellow Americans were suffering & so many were at risk & there was nothing anyone could do to help.

I also think back to the days & weeks following those events. American flags draping from virtually every residence. The kinship, the brotherhood you felt towards your fellow Americans. For the first time I felt like I truly knew what it was like to be an American. Every time I hear the National Anthem I put my hand on my heart & get goose bumps up & down my arms. It always meant something, now it means so much more. Through all the horror, our country grew up, we learned, we grew together. 9/11 is that event in our lifetimes that you can talk to anyone about, relate to everyone at some level on. That day is such an incredibly unifying event that one can only look at with awe.

I know at the end of the day I am going to lay my head down on my pillow, say a prayer, & go to sleep like every other. Before that though, I am going to take the time to think about how much that day affected me, affects my life, & how thankful I am for everything I have been blessed with. Days such as 9/11 unfortunately can never be erased, however days like 9/11 can serve as reminders to just how lucky we are & all that we have been blessed with. I encourage everyone to take a second & think about how that day has affected you & how truly blessed you are.

Posted by D. Schwa on Monday, September 11, 2006 at 2:25 AM | Permalink