The Day I Will Never Forget

I never understood when my Grandpa Lattimer would get frustrated with me because I could not remember the exact date of the Pearl Harbor attack or keep all of the WWII battles, days, etc. straight. He would ask me how I could possibly have such a hard time remembering these things. I think that in 5-6 years when Nathanael is in school and is studying September 11, 2001, I may have problems understanding why he can't keep the information straight. How many planes? Where they landed? Who all was involved? Where was Osama Bin Laden again? All these questions we all have not only answers to, but memories as to where we were and what we were doing when we got the answers.
I remember waking up to my radio alarm clock hearing about the first plane hitting the World Trade Center. I went to the living room, turned on the tv, and was watching the news when the Second World Trade Center was attacked. I sat there for a very long time before I changed, pulled my hair back, and walked quickly to class (that I was already late for). I walked into the class room and realized that another class had come in to join us and the tv was going with news reports. I went and sat down next to my Government professor and she leaned over and told me that it was only a matter of time before the Pentagon was hit. There was a Pentagon employee on the news (via phone) who shortly after said that he didn't want to alarm anyone, but that he was pretty sure his office just shook. My professor had been right.
I was attending a Christian University at the time and as soon as class was over, we all walked to the quad in time for Chapel to start. What a moving day.
I will never forget. I will forever have the images of people jumping for their lives out of the top of the World Trade Centers. I will never forget the picture attached. I will never forget the American Pride people shared. I will never forget what it felt like to live in a nonpartisan land.

Someday when Nathanael asks me those questions about 9/11, it will be hard to realize that he doesn't have the images and memories that changed me forever embedded into him. I pray that he never has to experience what we all experienced on that day, but I also pray that he never experiences the complacency that we all falling into.

Let's never forget. For our own freedom and the freedom of our children.