On September 11, 2001 I woke up and had to drive Shad downtown to work. We bundled our three kids into the car and got underway. The radio had the news on and we tried flipping past to a different channel thinking that it was off it's channel or something. We weren't really listening to what was being said yet. But then we heard a plane had crashed into tower one of the WTC. I was a little freaked out about that but then plane two hit and I really started freaking out. I felt so unsafe and frightened about the world. I couldn't stop watching the coverage. In late July early August, I had a miscarriage at about 6 weeks along. I hadn't even known I was pregnant(nor had we wanted or planned it) so I wasn't upset about the loss but I was still breastfeeding, 1 year old Emma at the time and my hormones went nuts for some reason. I got downright depressed and that just doesn't happen to me. So, I'd been in a really bad place for awhile when this happened. I was actually in counseling and had a counseling appointment scheduled for that day. Anway, I've never been so proud to be an American before that day. The stories I heard of heroism and selflessness made me proud of who we are and what we stand for. Many other nations may think we are bad for whatever reason but I think we stand United when it really counts and that's worth so much to me. Patriotism was never really my thing and I always took our country for granted not really giving it much thought. After that day though my patiotism grew immensely. I do think our nation is full of heros and people that do things above and beyond themselves. I hope we can forever remember the feelings that were inspired in us in the days, weeks and months following the attacks and that we can embrace them and remember all that was and is still sacrfificed for the freedoms we take for granted every day. I am lucky to be alive and to have the things that I have...Our nation is a great nation.
I had the oppotunity to go to ground "Zero" just a few years ago. When we entered the "area" it was nothing but a huge whole in the ground that you could barely see. Really it was so unremarkable to the eye, due to all the construction barriers and such but I felt it. I FELT the spirit of the many, many innocents that lost their lives there that day, it was very solemn for me. It really hit me in the heart. Every time I hear it called ground Zero I cringe. I feel like it's so many spirits, so many lives and to me that isn't Zero, it's hero. So I like to think of it as Ground Hero...where people did amazing things for other people. Also we can't forget the other plane, whose passengers saved so many lives from being needlessly taken by giving up their own. Some cowards on planes that day may have succeeded in their mission but they fell far short of their GOAL. Ground Hero is a testament to the fact that the American spirit is alive and well and no one will ever squash it with acts of cowardice and terror. So I AM proud to be an American...because, at least I know I'm free...I won't forget the "people" who died and gave that right to me so I proudly stand up next to you and defend her still today...cuz there aint no doubt I LOVE this land! God Bless the USA!
Comments