It seems appropriate today to reflect on a defining moment in our country’s history: September 11, 2001.
Everyone has their memories of 9/11 and each of them paints a vivid picture of what everyone in America was experiencing that day as we watched our country be attacked by terrorists. Some were physically there; some were in Manhattan; and still others, like me, were in their home watching it unfold on the television.
When I reflect on 9/11, my thoughts take me back to December of that same year when I was able to visit ground zero. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could have prepared me for what I witnessed–blocks and blocks of photos of loved ones that were still missing. There was ash on the streets and cars everywhere and the buildings were still smoldering which made the air wreak of smoke and burning metal.
As I stood there looking beyond the wire fencing and boards hiding the fallen towers, I truly cannot describe the overwhelming sense of sadness I felt for everyone involved: the victims, their families, the first responders, and the survivors. I wondered if the city would ever recover and how would anyone in Manhattan ever feel safe again.
Flash forward to 2017 when I was able to visit the memorial, witness the reflecting pools, walk somberly through the museum, and venture to the top of the One World Observatory. It was an entirely different feeling of sadness for the loss and pride for the resilience of a city and a country that rebuilt and moved on.
My favorite and most poignant memory of that visit is my grandson standing in front of one of the reflective pools. He was only 7 and we had to explain to him what they meant and how he was to conduct himself there. He simply walked over to the edge of the pool and stood there for minutes reading the names and watching the people pay their respects. I cried for every child of every family member who was lost that day and thanked God for giving all of us the strength and resolve to keep moving forward.
I will never forget September 11th, 2001; and I will always remember what I felt the days after and the years after I visited the memorial. May God Bless every family affected by this tragedy and it’s my wish that we could feel that spirit of oneness we all felt that day again.
#NeverForget