A thought......

I haven't been able to find the thing I wrote about 9-11. I will continue to look...it wasn't my best writing ever, but I was proud of it.

In the meantime, I spent a lot of time thinking yesterday about 9-11...what it was...what it did...what it meant..and what it continues to be, what it continues to do, and what it continues to mean.

It means my children will never really remember a pre-9-11 world. It means B doesn't remember a time that we weren't at war in Iraq. While I can't think of a generation, ever, that has not been touched by war, I think this one has made the most impact on me. Not because of me...but because of my children.

I remember the panic I felt immediately upon hearing/seeing the news about the first plane hitting the World Trade Center. I watched the entire thing unfold on TV. A was on a field trip about an hour and a half away...in a big city, downtown with big buildings. The only thing I could think about was making sure she was safe and getting her home. And I remember realizing that she would not have a lot of clear memories of the world before 9-11. I remember wanting to shield her from the world, from the news, from reality. As a parent, my job is to keep my children safe. To protect them. To provide a safety net from the cold, cruel realities of life. And suddenly, in an instant, I felt that I had failed. And that I would never again be able to provide that safety net.

I know that I was being somewhat irrational. But that's how it felt -- like I would never be able to keep my children safe again.

I know the war is not popular. That does not change the fact that there are many, many brave men and women who put themselves in harm's way every minute of the day to protect us. To protect my children, and your children. To protect our way of life. To protect the rights of those who vehemently disagree with the war -- to protect their right to speak out and to say mean, cruel, hateful things. Those men and women deserve nothing less than our complete respect and support.

In life, it seems there aren't many absolutes. "Death and taxes," as the saying goes. But there is another set of absolutes -- right and wrong. Unfortunately, the right thing is very rarely the easy thing.

So, allow me to paraphrase the words of a very wise (albeit fictional) man, Albus Dumbledore. I have used parentheses to indicate where I have changed wording:

"It is our choices...that show what we truly are..."

and "Remember (9-11). Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of (evil). Remember (9-11)."

When faced with the choice between what is right and what is easy....remember that there are absolutes. And while the right thing may not be easy, popular, fun, or enjoyable...it is still the right thing.

Always remember.

Never Forget....

Last year (or the year before) I wrote some thoughts about 9-11 and remembering the events of that day, for an e-mail group I belong to. I'm trying to find what I wrote so I can post it here.

In the mean time, I just want to say....I will never forget. We will never forget.