We must NEVER forget!
While reading Max Anderson’s post
about his new book,
When the Lights Go Out,
it brought to mind that this year is the
tenth anniversary of 911.
Now, already, someone’s scratching
his head going tenth anniversary of the
emergency phone number?
Come on, if you’re over 25, you
should know exactly what I’m talking about.
The day America died just a little bit!
But more importantly, the day America learned she still had
a backbone with plenty to say to anyone wanting to hurt her.
I can tell you exactly where I was—at work.
One of our patients came in and said something about
a plane ramming into some building in New York.
Then another patient and another.
I ran over to a store, grabbed a small B&W TV, the mini kind,
and took it back to work so we could find out what was going
on outside our calm little burg.
One of the therapists made an offhand comment about
not turning it up too loud, she wouldn’t be able to hear
herself think. After convincing her it might be worth checking out,
we watched in horror as the building collapsed.
Our Pentagon? Hit? No way, couldn’t happen.
Our way of life being threatened? Who would dare?
An hour later our boss called and said for everyone
to go home and be with their families. Who knew
what might be coming next?
A small piece of all of us died that day along with the thousands in
the Towers and the Pentagon and those brave souls aboard
Flight 93 who through their selfless actions stopped further
carnage from taking place.
And those brave first responders who put others lives ahead
of the their own. Many still paying for it today with health issues.
What do you tell your children about 911?
Do you tell them about the
bravery of the Americans?
The cowardice of the terrorists?
The wakeup call to the greatest
country in the world?
While reading Max Anderson’s post
about his new book,
When the Lights Go Out,
it brought to mind that this year is the
tenth anniversary of 911.
Now, already, someone’s scratching
his head going tenth anniversary of the
emergency phone number?
Come on, if you’re over 25, you
should know exactly what I’m talking about.
The day America died just a little bit!
But more importantly, the day America learned she still had
a backbone with plenty to say to anyone wanting to hurt her.
I can tell you exactly where I was—at work.
One of our patients came in and said something about
a plane ramming into some building in New York.
Then another patient and another.
I ran over to a store, grabbed a small B&W TV, the mini kind,
and took it back to work so we could find out what was going
on outside our calm little burg.
One of the therapists made an offhand comment about
not turning it up too loud, she wouldn’t be able to hear
herself think. After convincing her it might be worth checking out,
we watched in horror as the building collapsed.
Our Pentagon? Hit? No way, couldn’t happen.
Our way of life being threatened? Who would dare?
An hour later our boss called and said for everyone
to go home and be with their families. Who knew
what might be coming next?
A small piece of all of us died that day along with the thousands in
the Towers and the Pentagon and those brave souls aboard
Flight 93 who through their selfless actions stopped further
carnage from taking place.
And those brave first responders who put others lives ahead
of the their own. Many still paying for it today with health issues.
What do you tell your children about 911?
Do you tell them about the
bravery of the Americans?
The cowardice of the terrorists?
The wakeup call to the greatest
country in the world?
It must NEVER be forgotten what happened that day.
Those of us who lived through watching the scenes unfold, one
graphic nightmare after another, must NEVER allow
complacency to become the norm. Apathy the new tolerance,
and a call to freedom, a whispered memory.
Max Anderson wrote a tribute to those of 911 with one of
his books for boys, When the Lights Go Out.
This should be a must read for every family with children,
boys or girls. Let the conversation open up and let your
children know they must NEVER forget what happened the day
America got sucker-punched—the day a small piece of all of us died!
Here’s Max’s video…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfSEkGN5q0U&feature
and here’s his site where you can find out more about
this book and many others.
http://booksandboys.blogspot.com/
Those of us who lived through watching the scenes unfold, one
graphic nightmare after another, must NEVER allow
complacency to become the norm. Apathy the new tolerance,
and a call to freedom, a whispered memory.
Max Anderson wrote a tribute to those of 911 with one of
his books for boys, When the Lights Go Out.
This should be a must read for every family with children,
boys or girls. Let the conversation open up and let your
children know they must NEVER forget what happened the day
America got sucker-punched—the day a small piece of all of us died!
Here’s Max’s video…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfSEkGN5q0U&feature
and here’s his site where you can find out more about
this book and many others.
http://booksandboys.blogspot.com/
God bless America!
Yes, God Bless America!! Great post, Linda!
ReplyDeleteWow, Linda. This book looks right up my ally. :) Thank you for posting this.
ReplyDeleteMax has an entire series of books for boys (and girls will love them too if they like adventure) so if you have kids, check out his books. His trailers are awesome...
ReplyDeleteExcellent post--you made me want to cry again just remembering that day. I was home alone and a friend online alerted me to turn my TV on--it changed the way I felt about my country and what we take for granted.
ReplyDeleteJust looking at that picture made me tear up. Really want to get this book.
ReplyDeleteAnd from Carole. Sorry folks that blogger is being obstinate for some reason:
ReplyDeleteLinda, an event that should remain in our memories forever. One that should be taught to future generations of children. Thanks for jarring our memory! And thanks Max for helping our children get a sense of history. God bless America!
cb
http://sunnebnkwrtr.blogspot.com/
I get choked up thinking about that day. It was my first day home from the hospital with my baby son. I can't forget the images or the emotions I felt for so long after that. 911 brought a sense of fear and insecurity that we as a nation are vulnerable. Thank you for spotlighting this devastating day. We can't forget.
ReplyDeleteI know, Jill. Almost as if a side of innocence had slipped away and we couldn't get it back. I pray we all see a better world for our children and their children. Max's is a good book for boys your son's age.
ReplyDeleteGREAT post, Linda! It's hard to believe, and hard to believe that my pre-teen nephews weren't born (or only a baby) at that time and my teen nieces and nephews were too young to understand any of what happened. Wow! How time flies, huh?
ReplyDelete911 happened on my daughter's 17th birthday--she'll be 27 on that date this year. My youngest was only 10 at the time, but he remembers it all very clearly. But by the time they have kids, it will just be something that happened "in the olden days" like WWII and the bombing of Pearl Harbor is to me.
Thanks for the post, and thanks to Max for writing his book.
www.lifeinflip-flops.blogspot.com
Thanks, everyone, for the memories. And you're right, Cheryl, it may just become one of "those things that happened." Another good reason for people to remember.
ReplyDelete