I remember as a child my Mom talking to me about the day Kennedy was assassinated, she told me she would never forget the exact moment she found out the president had been shot and then proceeded to give me every detail of that day in a way that made me understand even as a small child what a terrible thing that was. I remember thinking that I hoped nothing in my lifetime would impact me in that way.
Now I am a adult of 33 and if you ask me where were you? I will tell you in my car on the way to work, I know exactly what you are asking. The morning of September 11 has been burned into my memory in way that I never thought was possible.
We were living in some apartments by Wal-Mart off Redwood road. I got into my car that morning and heard reports on the radio that the pentagon was on fire and speculation about it being related to the planes crashing into the twin towers. I wanted the radio to give me more information, I wanted to know everything! But the news anchor on KSL just kept saying I think our country is under attack, I'm sure he said more but that's all I processed. I got to work and went into the waiting room where the TV was. I watched with my co-workers the awful scene of the twin towers on fire, and then to our horror the first tower fell! Looking back that was worst moment, you just knew it was only a matter of time before the next tower went down. It's funny what stays with you in times like that....I remember going back to my office to put my things away and walking past my boss' office, she was on the phone laughing with someone, it seemed eery to hear laughing, hundreds of people just died before my eyes how could laughing be allowed? I went back into the waiting room and watched until the second tower fell. In that moment I just wanted to find Justin, while I knew I was safe I wanted to be safe with him. I don't know how any of us managed to get through that day. In the days that followed I remember almost every car had a yellow ribbon tied to it, our country had come together in a way I had never seen and I had never more proud of my country, to call myself an American.
10 years later the hurt is still there, the sorrow still consumes me this time of year.
I have not talked to my girls about what happened that day, I feared they were too little, how do you explain such horrible things to such innocence? The flag at Jenna's school was at half mast on Friday and as I sat waiting for the bell to ring I knew we needed to talk with the girls about 9-11. I asked Jenna on the way home what she knew and was relieved when she had no clue what I was talking about.
So tonight I have been pondering how I to tell them, wondering how much needs to be said. I have read articles on how to talk to your kids about 9-11 what to say, what not to say. Then I remembered that conversation I had as a child with my mom. It did not leave me scared or nervous just sad over someone dying. So I'm going to keep it simple, tell them about it the same way my mom told me about Kennedy's assassination. I hope that they will remember 9-11 the way I think about Kennedy from my mom's perspective .
So much has happened in the past 10 years and 9-11 changed our country in a way that I don't think anyone anticipated. I know I'm just one person, I didn't know anyone who died that day, I have never been to New York or to the Pentagon but it was my country that was attacked and therefore they attacked me as well. So today I'm honoring the hero's of 9-11. My prayers are with those who lost their loved ones and with our military who ten years later are still fighting for our freedom, may God bless them and bring them home safe.
Finally, my greatest hope is that my children's generation will be spared what so many generations before us have not, from Pearl Harbor, to Kennedy and finally 9-11, I pray my girls will never have a " never forget" moment.
