Never Forget
World Trade Center 9/11 Flag
On display at the McCormick Tribune Foundation Freedom Museum
This morning I sat at an airport restaurant, waiting for a breakfast burrito with no less than five televisions on around me. All of them blared with bright colors and sounds of excitement showing thousands of college football fans getting excited to cheer on their teams as the fall football season starts in full force. All of them, except one, which had it’s sound muted, showing live commemorations in NYC with closed captions showing words such as “victims”, “survivors”, “moments of silence” and “never forget”.
Like most of you, I remember the moments of that day with such clarity that it sometimes startles me - mostly because I remember not only the events, but my fear, anxiety and sadness. I watched the live news coverage at work, until my office at AOL, located in Northern VA, was evacuated. The Pentagon was a distance away, but we could see the smoke on our drive home and listened to radio reports the entire way. I didn’t feel safe. It took a while to confirm all my friends on Capitol Hill were ok - and friends in NYC. There’s so much more - we all have our individual memories and stories from that day and the weeks and months that followed.
Today we reflect… I know it’s important to remember that day and how quickly the world can change. But we cannot just feel sadness - we must encourage ourselves to feel gratitude for the force of life that continued throughout that day and in every moment since. Gratitude is an acknowledgment of that life force that allows us to continue - and to thrive, grow, love, create and forgive.
As I sat in that restaurant watching the televisions, part of me was angry that only one of them was tuned in to the commemorations. But then I looked at the thousands of happy fans and the games, which did include small commemorations of their own, and reminded myself, life goes on. People can enjoy their football and have fun on a beautiful September day - it doesn’t mean they won’t have their own private moments and feelings about 9/11. We can all remember in our own way and don’t need to judge each other for it.. that’s part of what makes this country so special - and I’m grateful for that.
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Jen is part of the team behind Thankfulfor, the online gratitude journal community. You can learn more about her here and check out her own personal gratitude journal.Be a part of Thankfulfor and start your own journal today.
