Remembering 9/11

Today is the sixth anniversary of the most infamous day in our history…a day in which all you have to say is 9/11 and everyone knows what you’re talking about. Although the horror of that day played out right in front of our eyes most of us were not directly effected by the terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of some 3,000 at the World Trade Center, Pentagon and
a plane crash site in rural Pennsylvania.

While it did seem like everyone knew someone who knew someone who was somehow involved most of us were just witnesses to a horrific event. We were certainly affected, more so than most because of our proximity to New York but our grieving was for the losses of others, not ours. We pledged to never forget and signs of that were everywhere immediately following 9/11. It seemed like every car sported an American flag or yellow ribbon and patriotism was probably at its highest since World War II. But as time went on those signs went away and they’re more the exception rather than the rule today. We’re most likely to think back to that terrible day when visiting New York City where the missing Twin Towers remain noticeable by their absence.

Sure some may say we have failed to follow that pledge to not forget but in truth our greatest strength has to be our ability to persevere and move on. I’m sure there were those who questioned whether we could go on after Pearl Harbor, the assassination of JFK and other notable tragedies but the bottom line is we all have daily battles to live with and focus on. The war in the Mideast is front and center and we only have to follow that to know American families are dealing with horror and tragedy 24/7 and there is no end in sight. Lives are lost on a seemingly daily basis with our country being torn apart by a war admittedly I and many others don’t understand. Where 9/11 brought us together as a nation, the situation in the Mideast is having the opposite effect.

Today we pause to remember and think back where we were six years ago
and maybe just as much where we’ll be six years from now.