9/11/11…The 10 Year Anniversary of a U.S. Tragedy.

Well, I'm sure that we're all aware by now that the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 is this Sunday.  I've heard it on the radio, seen it in the paper and watched on the TV.  It brings back that day crystal clear to me.

I was sleeping on my couch (fell asleep there the night before) and had left the TV on.  I heard the news anchors that day and I couldnt figure out why they sounded so upset.  Actually at first, I thought that I had left a movie running and it was playing over again.

I had to get up for work and get my daughter (age 4yrs) ready for daycare but I eyes were glued to the TV.  I watched in real time as the planes crashed into the World Trade Centers, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania.   I had almost never been more freaked out in my entire life.  The other times are when my children have been very sick.

I was working at a newspaper at that time and I remember not knowing what I should do.  Go to work? Take my daughter and run like hell?  Well, I chose to watch the news a bit longer, see what President Bush had to say, took my daughter in to my sister's and went to work.  My co-workers were FREAKING out to put it lightly.  We all just stayed close that day and listened and read  every bit of news we could get our hands on.

Elsworth Airforce Base isn't that far away from our offices and had us all worried that it could be a target.  I look back now at that and feel somewhat embarrassed or maybe sheepish at our feeling of self importance.  But hey, you never know right?  That night, we went to my parents house for comfort mostly.  My dad is a huge hunter and has lots and lots of guns, and I have to admit to feeling a bit better there than at my own home.

We exchanged information like poker chips in a game.  We watched the news feeds over and over again and talked about how we just couldnt believe something like this could happen.  We worried about all of the people that were killed, hurt and still buried under the rubble of the towers or Pentagon.  We prayed for those we didnt know, probably would never know and for their families.

Finally, it was time to go home.  I'm not too proud to say that my daughter slept in bed with me that night and for many nights after.  All in all, it was a pretty awful day and we weren't even in the thick of things.  Can you imagine what others went through?  The people on the planes or in the towers or maybe just at home watching the news and knowing that a loved one was at either place?  Or a fireman or policeman at work?  Or our Armed Forces?  It boggles the mind.

I think it's imortant to remember where we were that day, what we felt  and what we saw and heard that day.  I think it's important to remember all of the ones that lost their lives and their families that loved them.  Not just on 9/11, but every day since  "The War on Terror" began.  I also think we need to remember how, as a nation, we rose together as one and said "Never Again".

I want to say a humble and sincere "Thank you" to all of our armed forces that have made that huge sacrifice and to the ones out still fighting for us today.   I also want to say to them, that I remember and I will always remember.