Month: September 2020

What should a nine-year-old remember? Certainly they should remember what their day was like when America experienced one of the most tragic days in her history. Of course I’m talking about the terrorist attacks on 9/11. 

Well, I don’t remember very much about that day; I remember being in school. I think it was a history class. At some point my stepmother came and got me and my step-siblings from our classes. We went home, but I’m not sure if we went directly home, because I remember being at my neighbor’s house. My stepmother and the neighbor lady were watching the news. I don’t think I watched it, because I remember being in the playroom with some of the kids. 

That’s pretty much it. I don’t recall being told about the attack, and I don’t remember at what point I became aware of the events. Even more so, when I understood the meaning of it, and the impact it had on our country.

Despite what I don’t remember about my day on 9/11, I’ve always remembered 9/11. Throughout my life I have heard the stories of the people who were lost that day, and the heroes that bravely went first into the chaos. I have also learned about the evil ideology behind it all. I’ve learned how our people come together in a time of true crisis that effects every American.

On the 19th anniversary 9/11, I am certain that today’s nine-year-olds remember even less about that day than I did. We must remind our children of the day, and make sure they remember everything I’ve learned. In the face of evil, America and her people never cower. When the heart of our nation is broken, we hold each other together. With God on our side, we will always overcome anything and anyone who looks to disrupt our country and its righteous ideals. Never Forget.

                19 years ago, on this day, I was still in Elementary School. It was a day like any other, we had already finished our breakfast and some of our morning instruction. Somehow the teachers must have been notified. Mrs. Teal turned on the television set in our classroom, and we were suddenly watching the images of planes flying into very tall buildings.

             Whatever the news anchor was saying does not stand out to me, and no explanation was given as to why we were so suddenly watching these images over and over on a loop. We sat mesmerized and completely phased by this unannounced interruption to our usual lessons.

             After some immeasurable amount of time had passed, we all jumped when the intercom in our classroom came to life. The voice over the speaker asked Mrs. Teal if she would please excuse me, as apparently my mother had come to take me home.

             Confused, but excited to be leaving school for the day, I ran outside to where my mother was waiting and happily exclaimed “Mom, why are you here because of those planes hitting those towers?”

             Sheer panic and dread instantly crossed her face and she admonished me, harshly, telling me to keep quiet and get in the car. I was a sensitive child and can still be both; I bawled my eyes out on the ride home wondering to myself why she had removed me from school – a miracle – just to cut me down.

             Once home, however, she sat my sister and I down, turned on the news, muted it, and finally gave me the explanation I had been seeking since Mrs. Teal had first turned on the TV. In that moment, my upset vanished. I, like many kids I’m sure, became one HUGE step closer to being an adult that day.

             Nine years later, as part of our graduation ceremonies, I was asked to speak before my Class. September 11^th, 2001 had made such a lasting impact on me that it came up in my speech. As I expressed it at that time, “no one who lived through the Terrorist Attacks of 9/11 will ever forget what happened that day.”

             Another ten years has gone by; now an adult slipping ever-closer towards middle-age, I still am stopped in my tracks when this date rolls around. For me, as a child, it was a day of confusion, elation, deflation, and concern. The concern still lingers.

             Someday, somewhere, we may experience such violent, destructive, and impressionable acts again. Lamentations may be many, but the best we could ever do, is honor our dead and carry on – thanking our Almighty God, that such events are few.

             Wherever you are today, and however 9/11 affected you, Never Forget those we lost; Never Forget the motivations of the men who would perpetrate such acts, and Never Forget that our savior Jesus Christ offers us all eternal life.

             God Bless you, and God Bless these United States of America.