September 11, 2001

I volunteered to accompany my daughter to a remembrance walk on Friday, September eleventh. I explained to my children that we were to be silent during the walk to honor those who lost their lives that very tragic day. I can remember that day very well. I was awaken to my neighbor banging on my door yelling "Cassie, Wake up and turn on the news!" in a very frightening shriek, she said " The United States is under a terrorist attack!" I remember jumping out of bed, running down the hall, and panicking as I saw the second plane hit the the Twin Tower.
It was an experience I will never forget. I think back and it stills brings tears to my eyes. In my lifetime I have experienced something as horrible as the forty's generation ,"Pearl Harbor". What bothers me the most is my children wondering why we we're even doing this ceremony and what's the point. It flipped me out! How could I let them just walk around and not know what we're doing this for. I immediately turned on the computer and made them watch the videos. They sat silently, and watched with wide teary eyes, just as I had done eight years before. They had a million questions as they watched people jumping for their lives while the buildings burned. When the buildings fell to the ground they gasped as they watched because they knew there were people inside. I let them listen to the 911 calls from the victims before the buildings fell. When we had finished the last video they finally understood why this ceremony was taking place and how important it was to honor those who gave up their lives trying to help the victims as well as those who were trapped due to the fires. We stood outside the flag that morning silently. My children had their eyes on the flag like it was a Sponge bob cartoon they had never seen. Now, they know what September 11 was all about. I am proud i had the opportunity to explain this to them. It will make the day so much more meaningful then just a walk around their school with pretty red, white, and blue doors.