Where Were You?

It's the eighth anniversary of 9.11 -those numbers etched in the mind of every American forever. Today, I'm remembering specifics, but actually there aren't too many days that go by that something doesn't stir me to remember...the sight of a soldier at the airport, a family friend in the Middle East, the site of an American flag, the news - all remind me of how much America has changed because of 9.11.

Where were you?

I was at my home in Beaumont (Fannett), Texas. I was on week two of homeschooling four, 9th grade boys. School had just begun, when Bruce ran in the house. He had been down the road getting our car inspected and had heard on the radio that the first tower had been struck. Immediately, the boys and I headed to the living room and the rest of the school day was spent in front of the TV. We were glued. Sometimes I watched in horror, other times in fear, and other times in sorrow. As the days went by, I remember becoming more and more proud to be an American.

That next day, for the first time I can ever remember, our high school allowed students who could drive to have an excused absence if they wanted to come to our church to pray with us. We had a community prayer meeting that night. I had never seen a community come together like that before....and since then only 2 times...both after hurricanes.

I know that there are mixed feelings about the war, how long we've been there and the costs...both in money and lives, but I just want to say that I have NEVER seen a country handle things with such grace when something so tragic happened. Man helping fellow man, Stranger helping stranger, risking life and limb for another, common man became a hero that day. Firefighters became soldiers and Policemen became counselors. It was a day when an American citizen stepped up and became enlisted- officially or not.

I'm proud of that kind of humanity. No matter how you feel about the war....we should never forget the kind of people we saw on 9.11.

Where were you on 9.11?