Remembering 9/11

Gathering at Tucson Electric Park to create a human flag as a tribute to those lost in 9/11. In 2001, the girls and I wore blue and went to Tucson Electric Park. We are in the bottom middle of the blue square of the flag. This was also later put on a billboard in New York. source

Today is the “National Day of Service and Remembrance” which was established by President Obama and Congress. I decided that I must create a post for today because I had to be reminded by Jungeun this morning that today was 9/11. On the way to work I heard nothing on the radio about 9/11. No tributes or anything. I don't understand. I am hoping that I was just listening to the radio at the wrong time. Not one person in the office has even mentioned 9/11. Every year on 9/11 in my old office, people would talk about how they looked out the window of our building and saw huge black clouds of smoke from the attack on the Pentagon. And everyone always talks about where they were, what they were doing, and who they lost on that day. Today, not one mention. Is this really a hippie state?

It has been 8 years since the most devestating national event of my lifetime thus far. Every memory of that day, week, month is very vivid. Not that the most improtant thing isn't the tragedy that fell upon the nation that day, but something I remember greatly was Lee Greenwood blaring Proud to be an American on every station. I cannot think of any other moment in my life that I actually did feel proud to be an American and felt insanely patriotic. That week, it seemed like there was no distinction between race, color, gender, religion, the rich, the poor, etc. We were all just Americans. That was the only label we were putting on ourselves. All people thought about was, 'how can I help.' It's amazing how one tragic event, brings people together and makes you think 'maybe we COULD all get along.'

There's so much to be said about that tragic day, yet there is nothing to be said at the same time. Nothing that can change the past. Only things that can honor those who gave their lives to something unexplainable. I just want to thank everyone who is serving this Country right now. Thank you and God Bless you.