Never Forget

This is a re-post from my personal blog, which I published last year on 9/11. I didn't even realize what date it was until a few minutes ago and I don't want to ever find myself forgetting that day. It's important to remember, not only in respect to those who lost their lives and those who lost loved ones, but also to keep in mind the things we learned as a country that day. We are not invulnerable, we do have enemies, and we are a people that will rise up to the challenges that face us. Let's not trade our freedom for a false sense of security.



I remember when I was younger, finding it odd that everyone knew where they were when Kennedy was shot. They could describe exactly what they were doing when they heard the news and yet it was so long ago. Then came September 11th. I can remember receiving a phone call from my husband at work, telling me to turn on the news. I can remember staring at the television set, having a difficult time comprehending the reality of what I was seeing. I remember when the understanding came and I called my husband to come home and we sat as a family, staring at the news as the events unfolded, too shocked to hide anything from the children.

My now fifteen year old daughter was sorting through her memorabilia last week when she came across her journal from when she was eight years old. I could not read her entry for September 11, 2001 without crying. She journaled as she watched the events unfold.

Here is her journal from that day (in thirteen sections), unedited except for spelling. May we never forget that day. Here is a reminder, through the eyes of an eight year old.


9/11/01 Larissa, Age 8

Today has been a bad day and I mean bad because there were two planes that crashed into a skyscraper. How? People crashed the planes. And Mr Tho****'s relative was in the building 'cause he works there. And there was an explosion. And now the building fell down. And now the other one fell down. And war has been declared.

And there was a bomb in a car and it blew up. And now the pentagon is on fire. And they have the Air Force on duty. And now a plane is headed toward the Pentagon. Another plane is headed toward the Pentagon.

And people were jumping out the windows.

And part of the Pentagon fell down.

And more than 9 thousand people were killed.

And they won't let any planes fly except the Air Force and all the planes that are already flying, they try to get down as soon as possible.

And the Pentagon was hit by a plane because a plane crashed into the Pentagon on purpose. And the Air Force is still on duty and some people were killed and some people just really hurt.

And it is scary. People jumping out of windows and crying and dying and people screaming. It's just scary.

It is the worst time in all of history and it's really bad.

And all the planes that are already flying they sent to Canada.

It is really, really, really, really bad. And my mom is really, really scared.

and it's a disaster. And it's crazy. And people are really scared. And so am I.

Well, the planes have stopped for now and the Air Force is still on duty.