They say you start developing a long term memory around age 4. I can, if I think really hard, remember a few memories. However only a few memories really stick out around this time like that September day.
I remember getting off the bus. My bus stop was at the end of my street that wound up. My mom met me and as we walked closer to the house I could see my dad's blue car that was covered with bumper stickers. Even at age six I understood this was unusual, I however was thrilled that daddy was home. I ran up through the house and back to the room where my parents were. Honestly, I think this is the first time I ever saw my dad cry. He was laying on the bed I could vividly see his "I gave blood" sticker on his shirt and tears streaming down his face. He watched the TV, his eyes fixated on it.
Later on that night, or maybe it was a few days later, my dad took me outside. We stood in our yard and he pointed to the sky. "See that Amanda?" He asked me. I held onto his hand and starred off into the dark oasis above me. "What?" I asked. "No planes." He answered.
No Planes.
If you haven't caught on or don't know what fall day I am referring to then you probably don't understand the significance of the no planes in the sky. Maybe you're too young or just forgotten what brought us to remembering this day.
To me though this is a day that would forever shaped my views of this country. I was only 6 just a week shy of my 7th birthday when Islamic terrorist hijacked our country. I can't remember a time when a war wasn't going on. I don't remember a time when security checks at the airport were so extreme. I've never seen the World Trade Center standing.
I can however remember a time when my dad b-lined it through the Lowe's parking lot to shake the hand of a man in uniform. Or the time my father prayed over a Marine in church. I can remember a time when seeing my President made me tear up. Or when being a President to change the world was my goal. I can remember all the funny remarks and looks I got when I told everyone my graduation party theme was America and I proudly wore my American flag scarf (Which I will be wearing tomorrow). I remember the day when my brother told me he wanted to be a Marine and how my heart still get's filled with pride thinking about it. I can remember a time when singing the national anthem make shivers go up my spine. I can remember just 2 weeks ago how I never felt more like a Pirate then when we all sang out to the song.
I can't remember a time of not being a patriot.
If you know me, you know I love my country. I understand the gift it is to live in a country where just simply being born made me part of the 1% of the world's wealth regardless of my parent's economic standing, even in this past year of being American poor. It's a gift that I can say the government sucks and not be beheaded for it. It's a gift that I am an American. You probably also know my extreme love for political documentaries or the fact that I'm generally not a cryer. I will lower my pride though for a brief minute to tell you that 9/11 videos/movies still make me cry.
Watching that first plane hit at 8:46 into the World Trade Center tears.
Or the Second one hitting 9:03 am brings a gut wrenching feeling into my stomach.
And again into the Pentagon.
And the last time into the Pennsylvania field.
I place myself in the shoes of those watching the towers fall, the horror they must feel and every year on this date I watch the same documentaries and go through the same emotions.
Personally, I don't want to forget. Not that I want to strike up revenge or keep hatred in my heart but that I don't want to forget that day as a turning point for our country. It's one of those days that regardless of our political preference, our sex, our religion or lack their of, or our social agendas, that day most of us sat glued to watching this event. For once in a long while we were one unit.
Fast forward 13 years and many of us have created so many divisions in ourselves it's not even cute. You either hate Obama or you love him. You either are a Liberal or a conservative or an anarchistic or "secretly" part of anonymous (which is sort of like anarchistic and it's not so secretive). You either are for abortion or for life. You either are for same-sex marriage or against them. People who stand for love throw the most rocks at others it seems and the world is flipped to the way it was made to be.
So as you remember this day reflect on this
"A house divided cannot stand" - Abraham Lincoln
Also reflect on if you live in America how much of a privilege it is to live in such a country even in the bad. Are we perfect? Far from it. Are we the greatest country out there? Personally I say yes but that is my outlook. Do we have a long ways to go? Absolutely. For right now though you are an American whether born into it or migrated amongst it. You can be a part of the solution or you can just complain about it the difference is one will change tomorrow and one will just make people want to punch you in the face.
Make America Better in Honor of the 2,996 people that died that September day
XOXO
Amanda
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