i’ll be honest, and sound horrible when i do so, that i never really GOT September 11th. please though, as you read that and think that i am heartless, understand that i was only 13 years of age on that tragic day and on an opposite coast with absolutely zero connections to new york, pennsylvania or the pentagon.
i was a thirteen year old and just did not understand the magnitude. i did not get it. i understood there was an attack, i understood that the buildings collapsed and i understood that the country was in anguish. i understood the very basics. and i also was very much aware that i lived a very jaded, sheltered life; lucky enough to have not truly experience tragedy, heartache or disaster.
and now, with ten years of life’s experiences behind me, i can honestly say now i GET it. i’ll again be honest and admit that it was a CBS documentary that quite literally opened my eyes. it opened my eyes to what our service people do and it opened my eyes to how quickly a life can change. it opened my eyes to how jaded my life has still been, and it opened my eyes to how grateful i need to be for my life as i have it.
all in all, i came down to a couple obvious conclusions…
there are two words that are not said enough: “Thank You” to our firefighters and policemen. they quite literally put their own lives in danger on any given day to do their best to keep us safe. i have always understood that firefighters fight fires and i have been ever so grateful to them for doing just that. but i did not understand that that was only one of their duties, or i guess i should say, a smaller part of their greater duty. their job is to put themselves in danger’s way to protect us. and that is something i did not completely comprehend until today. even those though two words are small, i think that hearing them on what seems to be an ordinary day can just remind them that we know, that we understand what they are doing for us.
and three more words not said enough: “I love you” to my family and friends. while i am lucky enough to have friends scattered all over the country, i know i never tell them enough how much they mean to me. i’m lucky enough to have an amazing family and the support they offer is unreal. but today made me think that there could be a day that all of these wonderful people could be ripped away from me, or i them, and i would want them all to just know that they are a part of me someway, somehow. it’s insane to me how much i love my family and best of friends and i would just want them to know.
i'm proud to be an American. i’m proud to live in a country that has such heroic people stand for it. i’m proud that i cherish my family and friends in a way that i don’t think many do. and i’m proud to be able to say that i will never forget…
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