September Eleven.

For my generation, time will be measured in two ways.   Before September 11^th,   2001 and after September 11^th   2001.  That day is the dividing line between the innocence of our youth and collective understanding that we were unsafe in the world.  I was 16 years old.  I remember that day like it was yesterday, but don’t we all?  As a country, we suffered the trauma together and each person has their own story to share. 

I won’t spend time to bore you with mine but what I remember most on that day was Mr. Peters, our high school Principal coming onto the loud speakers at the end of the day and gave a speech that I still remember.  As our teenage classmates called for war and retribution and revenge, Mr. Peters sadly told us that those of us in this high school would be the kids who fought that war.   We didn’t understand at the time, but 14 years later, I understand that he knew in a way that we couldn’t understand that we’d be living with the aftermath of the events of that day for many years.  We still are. We always will be.

We watched the news for days. We ate dinner in front of the television.  We talked of nothing else. The skies were silent and if you saw an aircraft, it was military.   It was scary.  It was scary to go to a crowded baseball game. It was scary to go to the airport.  It was scary to see someone who looked different from us.  We were scared. 

And mad as hell.

So we grew strong.  We watched the dust covered first responders of New York City and the families who suffered and the survivors from ground zero.   Many young men and women felt a call to join the military and help make our country strong.  American flags flew as many as they had after VE Day.  We praised NYC and its leaders and its people.   A president promised to track down the man responsible and hold him accountable. The next president was able to do so.

And yet, there is still so much work to be done.  The war did not end with Bin Laden’s death.  The news of that day was welcomed but it didn’t heal the wounds from 10 years earlier. 

We are a country constantly on defense now.  We’ve been fortunate to suffer very few successful attacks although there have been many attempts.   We are prepared and ready to fight.  We are strong.  We are no longer innocent but jaded. Those teenagers have grown up, seen war, and have been hardened.  Our children have only ever lived in a world with their country at war.   I hope my kids never have to grow up collectively in one day, the way we did in September, but I also know that each generation had its day.

And when their day comes, I pray that they make wise decisions.  I hope they turn to God in those hours of fear and hate.  I hope they know that the Sun will rise the same the next day as it had that morning.