I posted this last night but I wanted also to post it today, on this solemn anniversary.
There are moments that seem to make time stand still; some good and some bad. Those of us who are of age remember exactly where we were and what we were doing on November 22, 1963 when President John F. Kennedy was shot. I was seven years old and in school when the janitor came into our classroom to tell the teacher, who began to cry silently. We then heard the news over the PA system. I knew at the time that this was a big event, and as time passed it became a defining moment in America. Most of us also remember the evening of July 20, 1969 when the crew of Apollo 11 became the first humans to land on the surface of the moon. This event made the name Neil Armstrong a household name. It was a proud moment in our nation's history, and I remember watching this on TV in amazement. There were, of course, many other events that helped shape the United States dating back to the birth of our nation back in 1776. One such event occurred exactly 10 years ago today, and if you are too young to remember the assassination of JFK or even the first moon landing, the events of September 11, 2001 are probably seared into your memory.
As with any other momentous event, everyone probably remembers exactly where they were and what they were doing on that beautiful sunny morning. I had just completed setting up an insurance program for a local logging company when I noticed that all of the other employees of the agency were standing around in shock talking to one another. From that moment through the rest of the day the phone did not ring, except for family members checking in. Since our agency normally received about 50 calls a day, this fact alone was a telling statement of the significance of the events of that day.
We Americans are an interesting group of people. Thousands of people pass each other on the streets of large cities and towns without even acknowledging one another...that's just the way it is. We do not consider that rude; to quote a good friend of mine, "it is what it is!" However, on that day, when the United States of America stared directly into the face of pure evil, people all across the nation got together to do whatever it was they could do. Many lined up to give blood at local blood banks, and most donated what money they could to organizations such as the Red Cross to help in whatever efforts they could provide. Days later I remember dropping donations into a fireman's boot at the exit of a local shopping mall, which caused a back-up of traffic leaving the mall...and not one person complained; rather, each gave what they could, very patiently.
I purposely do not want to relive the specific events of that day as we remember all too well what happened in New York City, Washington DC and in Pennsylvania. Rather, my wish, my prayer, for the country is to never forget what happened and to continue to fight the war on terrorism. The nearly 3,000 innocent people that perished that day did not die in vain. The thousands of soldiers that have died since that day have not died in vain. Our way of life, the very soul of this country was shaken to the core that day. Because of that, we cannot stand by complacent, hoping that nothing else will happen. We must, however, continue to go about our normal business with family, friends and business partners, but we must also remain vigilant.
So on this day let us remember the scores of people who died and those who gave their lives, and continue to give their lives, in the battle over the evil in this world. And let us also remember that on that day we as a people did not roll over and cower in fright, but rather we, beginning with the brave heroes on Flight 93, began to take up the challenge against the powers in this world that would do us harm. Let's continue the good fight, and may God Bless the United States of America.
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