Remembering 9/11

Today Trent and I were talking about 9/11 and the fact that he doesn't remember it and that it happened before Amberly was even born.  It gave me a chance to tell him my story of that day and how the events have affected my life.  I then realized I haven't really wrote much about those events.  I wrote a little in my journal, but not too much. 

On most school mornings I turn on the tv and have it on the news so I can hear the weather to make sure everyone is dressed right for the day.  On that morning I actually didn't turn the tv on.  Darin had left early to go to a job fair in downtown Houston.  (he had been unemployed for 3 months at this time)  It had been a difficult time for our family.  We had lost my Mom a few weeks before and then came home from her funeral to find out a few days later that a neighbor friend of my children had been killed in a boating accident.  We were just starting to get back into things when it happened. 

Darin called me to ask me if I had seen the news.  I told him I hadn't turned the tv on.  He told me that it was being reported on the radio that a small plane had crashed into the world trade center.  He then told me that the traffic was horrible and he felt like he needed to turn around and come back home.  I turned the tv on and sat and watched as the first building was burning and everyone was wondering what had happened and how a plane could crash into it.  I sat staring at the tv as I saw a small black dot get bigger to where you could see a plane crash into the second tower.  I jumped from my chair in shock at what I had just witnessed along with the rest of the country.  I stood there listening to the shock and disbelieve of the news people.  I turned and saw Darin pulling up and I ran outside to tell him what I just saw.  We quickly ran back inside and watched and cried as all the events of that tragic day took place.  All I wanted to do was go and pick my children up from school and protect them.  All sense of safety and peace were gone.  We worried about family and friends and just felt completely numb as we watched. 

As Trent and I talked about this today we compared it to the tragedy of Pearl Harbor.  I tried to explain to him that a difference between the two was that with the technology we have today we all sat and witnessed these events LIVE and that it felt like we were literally all being attacked that day.  That moment has become a part of us.  We are all different because of the things that transpired that day.  Our world changed that day.  We no longer had that sense of security within our country.  Fear was felt by everyone.

I explained to Trent that those wicked men had accomplished their goal of hurting our country, but something happened to us that I don't think they could have ever imagined.  It is that country that I miss.  During the weeks and months following that day the feeling of unity that was taking place in our country was simply amazing.  The patriotism that was shown by everyone was incredible.  No matter where you went people were friendly and reached out in kindness to you.  I loved how the United States flag became the symbol of unity for our country.  I miss those days.  I miss how it didn't matter what color your skin was, if you were republican or democratic, what school you went to, what religion you were, what clothes you wore.  None of those things mattered.  We were all Americans and we were proud of it and we were a United People.  I look around today and I see the division within our country and it breaks my heart.  Its really sad that it takes tragedy to bring about so much good. 

Over the years we have added new memories to this day and it is now a day filled with good memories.  4 years ago today we were in Utah doing the temple work for my parents.  On this day I actually had one of the most incredible events of my life happen as I was sealed to my parents for eternity.  It is a day/event that I treasure with all my heart.  2 years ago today a wonderful event happened in our family as Amberly was baptized.  It was a happy day that we as a family shared together.  These events on this day just tells me that Life does go on.  These terrible men did damage us, but they didn't stop the work that must move forward.  Life is good - Yes, we have trials and tribulations that are placed before us.  But as we push forward and work through them we discover that we are better because of them and we can overcome them.  Life is good - and its only going to get better!  That is what I learned from that tragic day in history.  I hope that I can teach my children the same.