Ten Years Later

I watched the 9/11 memorial ceremony on TV today, rather than going to the site, but I plan to go over there very soon. It looks beautiful, and I thought the ceremony was very well put together, despite the butchering or skipping of some of the names being read, but I was even impressed with the effort most made to read and pronounce the very difficult ones correctly.

I was touched by Paul Simon’s performance of “Sounds of Silence,” but I was most affected by all the children who read off the names of the fathers they never had the chance to know, because their moms were still pregnant with them at the time.

I was pregnant with my baby at the time.

She is only nine years old, so all she knows about our greatest national tragedy is what she has seen on TV. She was up early this morning watching the ceremony, but changed the channel halfway through the reading of the names, because she couldn’t take it anymore. I forced myself to continue watching, to ensure that I never forget how short and precious life is and how everything you know can be forever changed in the blink of an eye.

As we remember the victims of September 11, 2001, I’d also like to shout out all the men and women who have, still are, or will someday fight for our country in an effort to protect and preserve our freedoms.

Always remember.

Never forget.

“Freedom Isn’t Free”