In Memory...

Seventeen years ago....

I was a senior in high school.

As I sat in biology class, watching our morning news program...we saw something that will forever be etched in my memory.

Our principal came on to let us know of these tragic events as they unfolded. It seemed incredibly unusual and highly suspect, as the first plane struck the first tower.

My first thought was... "How?"

I couldn't understand how such an odd thing could happen.

Then as the second and third planes entered the picture-I was honestly scared.

"What else is going to happen?!" I thought.

"Why is this happening??"

All of these thoughts coursed thru my mind as we watched in awe and fear.

.....

Fast forward a decade or so and my adult mind still has many unanswered questions about that day.

I didn't know anyone that was claimed by the events of 9/11, personally.

However-when I first visited the memorial in NYC in 2014, I was strangely and very personally effected. The eerie feeling of being in the very spot where so many lives were lost, is something I can't rightly explain.

....

We visited again last year, the museum was complete.

We had our girls with us.

We stood at the fountains, taking it all in.

When we entered the museum-we were in for emotions that we (I) wasn't aware I would feel.

Walking thru a self-guided tour, we were able to allow ourselves to be drawn to different things along the way.

We all saw and felt the experience in our own way.

I can't speak for anyone else, but for myself-I saw and heard things that changed something deep in my soul.

When you listen to the final words of someone as they say goodbye to their loved ones....you aren't the same.

I saw images and videos of people giving their all to help the people around them.

Regular, everyday people and first responders working together to save lives, while sacrificing their own.

In those moments something became clear to me.

The important thing about that day wasn't the WHY...

The important thing wasn't the HOW...

The important thing. The only thing. Is that it DID.

Lives were lost. Lives were changed. Lives moved forward.

As a nation-we mourned, we got angry.

We will remember the events of that day for as long as we live. We will educate our children and our grandchildren.

The story of that day will be told in history books, documentaries, movies, novels, biographies, memoirs, blogs ...the list goes on.

September 11, 2001 will never be forgotten.