10 years ago. Wow. It's hard to believe that something that seems so vivid in my mind could have happened a decade ago.
I don't think any of us that are old enough to remember the events of September 11, 2001 will ever forget what we were doing, who we were with, or where we were on that day. For me, I was in high school, sitting in my sophomore biology class, learning about the reasons why plants are important to our lives. Another teacher came into the room and announced that one of the Twin Towers had been hit by an airplane. Moments later, we were ushered into another classroom where we could watch the events unfold on television. I'll never forget another teacher announcing to the group that our lives would never be the same.
It's so true.
Before the events of September 11, 2001, we lived in a bubble. Whether or not we thought we were untouchable, it sure seemed that way. It was easy to get in and out of the country, it was easy to get onto public transportation, it was easy to feel like you could run into the grocery store and leave your car unlocked. We were trusting people. And in many ways, we were naive to think that it couldn't happen to us.
The events of September 11, 2001 weren't just tragic. They were life changing. I don't personally know anyone that lost their life on that day, or anyone that has lost their life fighting for our country since that day, but I've been directly effected by the events of that day in countless ways. Again, whether we know or it not, we all have.
It's so easy to sink back into what's comfortable. The days and weeks that followed the events of September 11, 2001 were sobering. Would there be more attacks? Would there be a draft? No one knew. And yet, as time went by, our fears eased up. We went back to our daily routines. We didn't think about it as much, and eventually, we rarely thought about it at all.
I would challenge each and every one of us to remember a key message on this anniversary: Life is not promised. We are not promised today, we are not promised five minutes from now, and we are certainly not promised tomorrow. Our lives can change, no matter how drastically, in an instant.
On this 10th anniversary of the largest terrorist attack in America, I challenge us to live each day to it's fullest potential, and thank God for the many blessings He has bestowed upon our lives. Tell someone you love them, tell someone you appreciate their service, tell someone that they matter. You never know when you might not have the chance.
My thoughts and prayers are with so many people on this day. Pray for the victims of September 11, 2001. Pray for the men and women who fight for our country everyday. Pray for terrorists around the world who know not what they do in the name of a religion that cannot save them. Above all, pray for America and pray for where we go from here. God Bless.
