Never forget 9/11

“Now, we have inscribed a new memory alongside those others. It’s a memory of tragedy and shock, of loss and mourning. But not only of loss and mourning. It’s also a memory of bravery and self-sacrifice, and the love that lays down its life for a friend–even a friend whose name it never knew. “- President George W. Bush - December 11, 2001

I don't know about everyone else out there, but when I opened my eyes this morning and stepped out of bed I was confronted with a very vivid memory. A memory with mixed emotion, feelings of anger, sadness, vengeance..... but also feelings of honor, courage, respect, and pride. I think you would be hard pressed to find an American of any race, religion, or creed that doesn't remember exactly where they were or what they were doing on that Tuesday morning. I was walking up the left staircase of Building 5 in my high school on the way to my 2ND period American Government class, when I heard the news. "I feel like it was just yesterday", will probably be the most used phrase of the day. But it wasn't yesterday, it was 6 years ago now, so what happened? When did America lose its unrivaled unity? When did the American people forget about that day, that day that "felt like it was yesterday". I turned on the TV today and as I flick through the channels it felt like just another day. VH1 was talking about Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan.... MTV was its normal old self with 50 Cent on TRL and talking about how much fun the VMA's were.... the Discover Channel was doing a special on "Champ" the sea monster that is rumored to live in Lake Champlain.... and ESPN was showing highlights from Monday Night Football. I sat there and soaked it in for a minute........ then I asked myself..... when did we forget? How did we forget? What happened to all the "Never Forget!" statements that people made. Its a sad reality that we must suffer a huge tragedy to be united, that we must suffer an atrocity of grand proportions to look to God for guidance. We have gotten so lost in our day to day lives, our memories are just a blur, and even though we call ourselves the United States of America, the only time we were actually united were the months following that tragic event. It was a day in history that should never be forgotten, and even though sometimes we don't want to remember the sadness, and vulnerability that we felt.... we must.... we must remember it vividly and never let it slip away, because it defines our resolve and courage in a time of fear and desperation. I never felt more proud to be an American than when I saw the bravery and self-sacrifice that was born after that day. For the people who actually get to read this, whether it be many or just a few... all I have to say is don't forget. We must never forget that day whether it be 6 years past or 60. God Bless America.

I leave you with a quote by Eric Hoffer - "The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings."