Never More Proud

Five years ago is a long time ago in the realm of the war on terror. It's a long time ago when I try now to remember what life was life on September 10, 2001. It's a thing of the past, an era of unrealistically feeling so safe here in the USA. Or maybe it was realistic, but more of a facade than a reality.

I remember the day well. T had decided to work from home, not a typical practice. I was doing some laundry at our townhouse, Kt was just 3, Em was a baby. We got a call from one of T's coworkers, a former Marine. He said, "Are you watching TV?" I answered, "As a matter of fact we are. We are watching Sesame Street!" He said, "You need to put on CNN right away, I cannot even explain to you what is happening." And from there, the rest is history.

I can remember as we watched the horrific events unfold thinking that our world will never be the same ever again. My mind was fixed on the unbelievable evil that must have ruled the hearts of this enemy. Who would do something like that? Who would rejoice at such an unthinkable act?? There was an eerie silence that day, no air traffic above our home, which was in the traffic pattern for BWI airport. It made me think of these things.

In the weeks that followed, many things emerged, including some "grassroots" efforts at Patriotism. I really couldn't remember another time during my lifetime where I felt the people of all generations embraced the American flag the way it was five years ago. Everywhere I went, there were flags, on overpasses, on cars, on homes, the colors were everywhere. Red, white and blue. We also began to see the real face of our enemy, and it wasn't really that clear. It wasn't another country, with a flag of their own, borders, rulers, etc. It was a hidden, rogue, evil and radical enemy. It was an enemy that hides behind the guise of a religion, a region and among helpless, powerless groups of people.

It's really so much more than that, but those are my memories from that day. In reliving part of that morning I watched some of the coverage today. The overwhelming sadness that I recall was felt again, the distress... there are still no words that can describe what happened, even knowing before I watched it this time it still seemed so surreal. There is still the question in my head, "Why and how could these people have done this??"

On my way home from the grocery store, I was driving over I-95 and there, on the overpass, were two Army dudes with a few kids standing next to them. They had once again placed flags on the fence and were each holding and proudly waving four or five huge American flags. I glance below to the highway and noticed cars slowing down, flashing lights and recognizing this gesture of remembrance, of patriotism. I can't really think of a time in my life when I've been any more proud of my countrymen for all they've given, all they've sacrificed in the last 5 years to bring justice to a faceless enemy.

For so many today is just another day that they are forced to remember a loved one who innocently lost their life on that day. It's just another day without them, but it's one day that we can all share as a nation, that we can remember to pray for them, their children, their families. It's a day that we can reflect on how life has changed, how the threat is still very real and we can remember to support those who have given everything to make our corner of the world safer for us.