Where Were You?

The 10th anniversary of September 11. Since the moment that happened, you never needed to describe the tragic events that unfolded but simply saying "9/11" reminds people of the horrible day that changed our world. September 11 is one of those events that people can very vividly remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they saw the towers hit and come down. I was a senior at Miami University and had a 10:00am. class. I had just closed the door and gotten out to the bus stop from my apartment when the first tower was hit and had just walked into Shriver Center to see the second tower hit. With all classes cancelled that day, I hightailed it home and watched in horror as the Twin Towers came crashing down in a heap of rubble, smoke, and disaster. Like everyone else, I was glued to the television for the next few days trying to process what I just saw and understand how something this devastation happens to the strongest country in the world. I was personally affected as my sorority lost a sister who was on one of the flights. My now husband lived in New York with his immediate family and they knew very personally the loss the entire country felt. The overwhelming sadness also showed us the strength and resolve of the American people. We heard these miraculous stories of Twin Tower employees continuing into the buildings to save others. The superhero feats of the firefighters, policemen and emergency workers who risked everything they had to help those who needed them.
My son and daughter will never know about those intense feelings 9/11 evokes for those of us who lived through it. They will learn about it in their history books the way my generation learns about the assassination of JFK or Martin Luther King, Jr. While, September 11 isn't a national holiday, it is a national day of service. What an awesome opportunity for this up and coming generation. What an awesome opportunity for us!
This year, even though Connor is way too young to understand what happened on that fateful Tuesday morning 10 years ago, we are finding a way to encourage him (and us) to give back. We haven't quite decided exactly what we are going to do with him yet, but we are hoping to spark the desire for civil responsibility. To encourage a seed in his heart (and eventually Alaina's too) that years to give back to the country that is so generous to us. What will you do to honor this day? How will you continue remembering exactly what September 11 means?
http://911day.org/