Where Were You When...

Where were you when…

September 11^th happened? A question most, if not all, of my generation and younger can answer in extreme detail. For our parents it was JFK Assassination, or the Moon Landing, or the Columbia Shuttle explosion. For us, it will be September 11^th.

Today marks the ninth anniversary of the attack on our land. And for many my age it marks the day we stopped taking our country and our freedom for granted. Whether that day was the one that made you stopped believing in our government’s choices and fought for change. Or the day that made you sign your papers to serve in the military. September 11^th was a day that our generation of kids began to understand something we had not yet experienced much in our lifetime: Life can change in the blink of an eye. And having the freedom to react how we choose to is part of the privilege of living in a country like America.

Here we are nine years later. It is hard to walk down the street and not run into someone whose life wasn’t changed that day. Maybe they lost a love one or maybe they have a family member serve overseas, but one thing is for sure; every one of them can answer where they were on September 11^th.

I will spend today thinking of all those that died that day. All the loved ones who have been lost to a war against terror since it began, all the birthdays and holidays that have been missed because they were off fighting a war, and all the families that stay behind and keep things running at home. And to those who will not get to celebrate another birthday or holiday. Today is not about supporting the choices our government has made, today is for remembering, and honoring those who died that day, and supporting those who have served everyday since.

If you get asked today where you were on September 11^th, and you begin to recall the details of that day and the weeks to followed, take a moment to remember the feeling that was left inside of each and every one of us that day. Take a moment to remember the fallen, and honor those who continue to serve our country. Take a minute to remember how it felt to realize that life can change in the blink of an eye. Don't forget what this day has meant to you and your life.