I was 15 years old, sitting in sophomore English class.
I was innocent and naive.
I never believed that someone would attack the United States.
I assumed we would always be safe.
I was sure that I would never have to see a war in my lifetime, let alone have friends and family fight in it.
10 years ago, I witnessed on TV as a plane flew into the second tower.
I watched a friend cry because her uncle worked in those towers.
10 years ago, I watched our country, I watched the world change.
I didn't know anyone who died in the WTC, and at the time I didn't realize just how big the scope of these events were. Politics aside, I didn't understand the concept of going to war or of sending 18-year-old soldiers to die in a battle, but I understood the concept of protection and of protecting our nation. Today, I understand it without doubt. I have watched this country change in ways I never would have expected, some for the better and some for the worse. And now, 10 years later, I prepare to start a life where my husband will be fighting this war that started because of the events that took place 10 years ago today.
Hearing the names being read out-loud makes the reality of that day come back full-force, and I find myself sitting on the couch watching it and crying. I'll be praying a lot today: praying for God's peace for those who lost loved ones that day and who have lost loved ones in the war since then; praying for the safety of those who continue to fight for our freedom and safety; praying for our nation to rekindle the love and compassion for each other and the the unity that was formed on that day; and praying for God's presence to settle upon our country.
Gone, but never forgotten...
