9/11

It seems somehow wrong to let the day go by without saying something about it. It's hard to believe that it's been 10 years since 9/11. So much has changed, and yet it doesn't seem so long ago. Like most Americans, I can remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news. I can remember watching the Twin Towers fall on live TV and thinking, "I just saw thousands of people die right before my eyes."

My children have never known our country at peace. I pray that someday they will. They are still too small to understand what happened 10 years ago. There was some discussion of the events of the day at Jack's Sunday school, and it thankfully all went right over his head. I dread the day when I have to explain to them that there are people in the world who would willfully hurt so many people. I try never to label anyone as bad or evil, but it's almost impossible not to when confronted with such avoidable tragedy. When Jack asks me if there are bad guys in real life, there are certain faces that it is hard not to picture.

Instead, I try to concentrate on the good of the day. The bravery of those who responded to the calls for help and the calls of duty. The all too brief period of time when our nation came together as one, and when we had the goodwill and sympathy of the entire world. I don't know if it's because the date is so memorable, but I feel like I know a lot of people who have birthdays today. So I also think of them and how life goes on and how we seek ways to find joy on even the saddest of days.