Sunday, September 10, 2006

9/11

(Click on the picture to go to a series of pictures at the Time website)

The events of five years ago today are still hard for me to comprehend. I had no personal ties to the attacks besides the fact that I am an American, but was still devastated by what happened that day. Seeing pictures of the devastation caused still makes me want to cry. They make me think of all of the innocent people who were at the wrong place at the wrong time because of where they worked, where they vacationed, or the flight that they happened to be on. They make me think of the families that lost loved ones: the widows, the parent-less children, the childless parents. They make me think of the survivors who will forever be scarred by the things they saw, felt, smelled that day. They make me think of the heroes who willing risked or lost their lives trying to save or comfort others who were injured and in danger, how ordinary people did extraordinary things. I will always remember how everyone pulled together and supported each other in a time of crisis like we had never seen before in America. I still have the American flag on my desk that I bought that afternoon on my way home from work. We went to a high school football game that Friday night and it seemed like the first time in my life everyone sang the national anthem, a lot of people with tears in their eyes. I do not know how anyone could have gone through that day and not be changed in some way. I hope that we never forget those changes and the feelings of that day.

No comments: