I Say the Pledge of Allegiance- Do You?

I don't understand it. First, I do have an outside job just you'll know what I'm talking about. I think I was the only person at work today who actually stopped to observe a moment of silence in honor the victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the brave souls who fought back in Pennsylvania. We have an enormous United States flag hung from the ceiling and I stop everyday to say the Pledge of Allegiance. Finally they have stopped looking at me like I'm a curiosity and smile instead. I wonder if they think I'm nuts or agree, but just aren't stopping to do the same. I remember all too well what happened that day; what I did, and the conversations I had with my neighbors and family and friends. I know many of us do too.

My son came out to our barn as I was wrapping up the last of the morning chores and told me a plane had crashed into one of the building of the World Trade Center. I remember saying, "Uh oh! Somebody's going get it!" I was thinking about the small plane that had hit the Empire State Building many, many years ago. Then he said, "No, I think it was bigger than that." I came into the house and we sat in front of the television watching the Today Show on NBC as they reported that they believed a jetliner had crashed into the building. We were chatting about how someone could get off course that badly and not go back on course before they hit a building. Then we both saw a split second (as did many others) before it hit, the shadow of the approaching second plane. We jumped and grabbed onto each other. "We're at war," I said quietly. "I know," he replied, "But who with?" He was twelve. Up until that point we had not heard of Al Qaeda or their terrorist organization. We watched the news, we just hadn't paid that much attention to them. We learned quick, but still didn't know the half of it. We did cry over the news of the Pentagon and the plane going down over the field in Pennsylvania and for the people who literally sacrificed themselves to save others from being killed by the hijackers. We also prayed- a lot.

My son is now serving his country in the United States Navy. He was inspired to join by those events, and following in his late grandfather's footsteps (he served in World War II) he ended up at sea. I pray he and his shipmates and the troops they carry we be safe and come home, whole, in mind and body.

I say the Pledge of Allegiance, just as it was when I was allowed to say "God" in school. Do you say the pledge?

God bless America!

Where Were You September 11, 2001?

To borrow from an Alan Jackson song, where were you when the world stopped turning? Obviously September 11, 2001, the world did not stop turning- but it sure felt like it. I was in our dairy barn cleaning up after the morning milking. My youngest son had already gone inside and saw the report on the Today Show.  He ran to tell me a plane had hit one of the buildings of the World Trade Center. My reply after the 'Oh my God!' was, "Somebody's in trouble," the last word being dragged out. I asked if it was a small plane like the one that hit the Empire State Building so many years ago and of course he looked confused not knowing what I was talking about. (I only knew about it from historical reports-I am not old enough to have read about it real-time.) He just shook his head and said, "No, Mom; it was a jetliner." You could have knocked me over with a feather. As I was finished in the barn, we came inside to watch the updates together. Horrified, we watched as yet another plane hit the second tower and then the towers collapsed. Panic reigned supreme in the streets as people understood we were under attack even as they had no idea what had happened.  I told him one is an accident, two is on purpose. Then of course came the reports of the plane crashing in Pennsylvania and the one that hit the Pentagon. All air traffic was officially grounded. We just stared at the television, my arm around his shoulders. We knew we were at war. My husband having heard vague reports on the radio that we kept in the barn came in and asked if we'd heard the news.

As the days went on we learned, if we had not already known, what real heroes were. Those brave, selfless individuals who caused their own plane to crash rather than let the terrorists take it into the White House or some other government building, gave everything for their country. The rescuers who knowing full well they might not make it out, went into those burning towers to save those that could be and then retrieve those who couldn't and many of them too gave everything to their fellow man not just their country. There were poor, unsuspecting people conducting business, going about their day who were killed inside those infernos, many of which died trying to save their coworkers. We will never forget.

All these years later, we still remember vividly where we were. Of course many have been born who have never felt the devastation of seeing that awful, terrible site except on historic news reports around the anniversary, and many of those will go on to defend our country, once they are old enough, so that it doesn't happen again, or if it does, they will be there.

September 11 has been named Patriots Day in observance of those thousands who died that day.  Just as December 7, 1941, is remembered as Pearl Harbor Day in honor of those attacked in Hawaii while they slept is not meant to bring about hatred for the Japanese, Patriots Day is not meant to bring about hatred for those of Middle Eastern descent. There is enough hatred in the world. It is to remember the victims, the fallen heroes of that terrible day, and to remind us to keep ever mindful, ever vigilant and not let it happen again.

God bless America, the survivors, the families left behind wherever in the world you hale, and the heroes who defend us against those who would do us harm if given the chance again.