Have You Forgetten?

Ten years ago today, a group of men boarded planes, in hope that their actions would break the spirit of our country and make us weak. Well those men were wrong. Very wrong.

10 years ago, I sat in my fourth grade classroom and watched as the a building I never heard of fell to the ground and people jumped out of it. I watched as my teacher, whose husband was a pilot, cried, and kids got pulled out of class. I went home and sat with my family. 10 years ago I didn't understand the impact this would have on our country. 

9 years ago today I stood in front of a news crew and read a poem about the loss we experienced.  I stumbled out the first sentence of "I hold in my hand a beautiful thing, I hold in my hand the American Flag" and watched as people teared up. Yellow ribbons were tied around trees in the front yards, and the enlistment numbers were at a high. Being an American had become a number one priority.

5 years ago today I didn't understand the war. I didn't understand the eye for an eye ideal, I couldn't tell you the difference between Iraq and Iran, and God knows I couldn't find them on a map. I flew on a plane and as a 14 year old was patted down and watched the man in front of me get taken somewhere to be strip searched. We had to pack very carefully, and nothing was a joke.

2 years ago today our school didn't have a moment of silence for the people killed during 9/11 and people were outraged. But in all honesty most of us had began to live the day like every other. I watched videos of soldiers coming home and I'd cry. I would see on the news almost every night a new death total, and a women crying for her son to come home. Gas prices rose and talk about soldiers coming home began. We waited as a nation for our loved ones to return, in hopes they were still breathing when they did.

1 year ago today, one of my best friends was away at boot camp. Local heros had died, and every time he called me I cried. The impact on the country finally connected, and I knew that with the national debt increasing getting out of this war was going to be impossible. 1 year ago today we had spent 9 years fighting a battle that started with a major loss, and 1 year ago today we barely ever had good news about it 

Today, a boy from my home town was killed in a plane shot down on their way home. Osama was killed, and while people made jokes about it being Obama, the country still rejoiced. Today I sat in my room with my roommate and listen to patriotic music, and cried watching heaven 9/11. Today I cried thinking of how 10 years ago today, every ones life changed.

We don't forget, we don't move on. We move forward, taking the memory with us and as a Nation we build upon it and become stronger. I won't ever say I agree with the war, but that isn't what today is. Today is remembering the men and women that lost their lives that day, the men and women that have been continuously losing their lives since then, and the husbands, wives, parents, siblings, children and friends that go on each day with a part of themselves missing. Today we remember, and we will tomorrow and for the next ten years for as a country, we have never been the same since that September day.