We Remember

We remember....and I hope we always will remember! I think the whole world was touched...changed...that fateful day. Some have said it's our generation's "Pearl Harbor". All I know is that my life changed that day, and every day since, in ways I'm sure I'm not even aware of.

This day always makes me sad. Always makes me mourn. For the people that died on that day, and the ones who died later because of that day. The troops who would die in Afghanistan and Iraq. The fire and police officers who died later from complications of breathing in toxic fumes of the debris. All because of one man's hatred of our country. Seeds of hatred that continue to sprout, and spread. Even after eleven years, the war on terror is still at hand, and progress is difficult to quantify.

I'm sad. I think of all those people who had no idea that that sunny, bright Tuesday morning would be their last on earth. Thinking of everyday things, things to do, things to remember, things to pick up at the store. How many let the sun shine on their faces that morning, and thought, "Wow! What a gorgeous day!" I hope many of them did. Most of us won't know when our time is up, and I hope we take the time to appreciate the little things in life, the sun on our faces as it were, because when our time is up, it's the accumulation of those 'little things' that really add up to a life.

So while I'm sad, I'm also grateful. Like most people, I have far more blessings than trials, and today of all days, I need to remember that. I need to remember the people who no longer have the choice to live, and live today to the fullest in their honor. To make this world a better place, one smile, one hug, one kindness at at time. To gather closely to those we love, and enlarge that circle of love every day. To fight against hatred and intolerance wherever it's found. To make the most of, and create, those little things in our lives. To live like it's our last day.

Because someday it will be. And I want to go being grateful for the sunshine on my face...