9/11 - THE GOOD THINGS THAT HAPPENED . . .

Ten years ago today, our country was changed forever.  I'll never forget where I was.  I was pregnant with Andrew and I was taking Jason to preschool.  I heard them talking about it on Bob and Tom.  Now, for those of you that listen to Bob and Tom, you know they joke about a lot of things.  I thought they were making jokes.  And I thought, "that's not very funny."  About that time they said, "this is NOT a joke.  If you are at home, turn your radio off and turn your television on."  It was then that I realized this was for real.  And I couldn't believe it.  I spent days, just like everyone else, watching the events transpire on television.  It was a devastating time in our nation's history, and our country will never be the same again.  

But today, on the tenth anniversary of that day, I choose not to remember what happened THAT day.  I choose to remember the things that happened after.  I choose to remember the good things that came out of it.  I remember our first responders going in to help those in need, without regard to their own personal safety.  I remember ordinary people hijacking a plane from the hijackers, because they knew they needed to do it to protect others.  I remember the country coming together in prayer for all of those that lost their lives that day and in the following days.  PRAYER.  You know, that thing we're not supposed to do because of the whole separation of Church and State?  That wasn't so important to us then, was it?  

I'll never forget that for many months after this tragedy, we became more aware of ourselves and the people around us. We held hands at church. We prayed for people we'd never met. We smiled at others while walking down the street. We were nicer drivers. We never went to bed without telling our loved ones just how much we loved them. We KNEW how lucky we were to be alive and we celebrated that fact.  We were proud to be Americans, and in being proud to be Americans, we became more HUMAN.

Today, I will hold a hand, say a prayer, share a smile, and tell my family and friends how much I love them.