By Meg Hodson
I was reflecting on the walk back from dropping my kids off at school on 9/11. I had mentioned to my daughter and son (5th and 3rd graders respectively) that their teachers might bring up this topic in school today. They know of this day, but I don't think quite grasp the significance yet.
Part of my reflection was how vividly I remember what I was doing and where I was. At the time,I was a supervisor at a Portland-area Starbucks store. During our busy morning rush, my manager came from the back room, announcing that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. The first image in my head was a small plane (the type someone would own personally) or possibly a small jet, but certainly not a commercial airliner. A few moments later, a customer in line uttered the word "terrrorists".
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| Photo Credit: catholicmoxie.wordpress.com |
The fact that this could be an act of terrorism had not even occurred to me! It was just unfathomable. I wouldn't consider myself someone who is uninformed on current events and news. Maybe it was the shock of the whole situation as the details started to unfold about the Pentagon and the plane in Pennsylvania. "How could this be happening in America?' crossed my mind silently.
I remember all those details vividly as I think back to that day. That, in turn, causes me to reflect on the lives lost as well as the heroic efforts of those on the scene. Ultimately, it affirms the importance of remembering. We must remember to honor and commemorate an act such as this. We must remember both the sadness as well as the victories. We must remember the atrocities, as well as how this has made our country stronger. We must remember.
Let's carry this over to our everyday lives, too. Whether it's the little things or the big things, let's make a point to remember.
