We Remember...

September 11, 2001...

It is a day that Americans will never be able to erase from their minds.  For it is this very day that we felt our freedoms slip out from under us and left us vulnerable to the hate.  They took a lot away from Americans that day, especially those of us who lived close to NYC.  We will always remember the moment we heard the devastating news.  We will always remember where we were, what we were doing and who we were with.  However, we will also always remember the sense of unity we felt as Americans the days following these tragic events.  We will always remember:  United We Stand, Divided We Fall.

16 Years Later...

I honestly cannot believe it has been 16 years since it happened.  Many things have changed in my life since then.  The biggest thing is I became a mom.  I always try to do right by her and teach her to be kind to others and to always remember her roots, her American roots.

The day began as it does every year, but it took a different turn. I put on the television and waited for them to begin their coverage of 9/11 Remembrance.  My daughter is now 4.5 years old, and she asks a ton of questions.  Of course, she asked questions about what she was seeing on the television.  I did my best to explain to her the events that took place that day in a child-friendly manner.  She didn't understand why anyone would be so angry to do such a thing, and even had tears in her eyes.  We paused for a moment of silence, and we pledged to our flag.  We then listened to the song, "Proud To Be An American," by Lee Greenwood.  When it was over she turned me and said, "Mama, I am proud to be an American today and every day."

We ended our teachable moment with this...

Always Remember.  Never Forget.