The Voice

This time of the year now brings uneasiness to our stomachs or chills up our spines. It’s painful for us to look back and remember the day our nation was attacked and the world as we knew it was yanked from under our feet in one second.

Remembering the fear we had going to bed that Tuesday night scares us. Recalling how our televisions showed us places in our country that looked nothing like America or reality makes us hope that nothing like Sept. 11 ever happens again.

Even though Sept. 11 was a horrible tragedy, our response was amazing. We looked at life in a different way after that day. We did things that we didn’t usually do and realized things we hadn’t before. We changed our day to day plans and were more kind to one another.

On that Tuesday, did you call home to make sure everyone was safe and sound? Did you say “I love you” to someone you hadn’t said it to in a while? Did you hang an American flag outside your home and finally realize exactly what that flag symbolized? The following days, were you more patient with other drivers on the road? Did you give blood even though you were usually too wimpy to donate? Did you call an old friend and apologize or forgive? Did you forget all the petty, unimportant things in life and appreciate what really counts?

We had remembrance ceremonies this week for all of the people the world lost that day in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania. This week brought back so many memories of last year. Along with the memories came the emotions we felt last year.

Sometime this year, we gradually got back into our little routines of forgetting to call home. And back to taking things for granted. This week brought back memories and emotions. Let it bring back the same response. Call home. Don’t take anyone or anything you have for granted. Smile at people you pass on the sidewalk. Don’t be so quick to honk your horn at the other cars. Tell someone you love them. Look at the American flag again and remember once more how important our freedoms are to you. Remember what Sept. 11, 2001 made you realize and don’t forget it. Remember what Sept. 11 made you do and don’t stop doing it.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 13 2002. Filed under Our Voice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry