I wasn't going to write about the anniversary of September 11, 2001 today. This will be covered by every other media outlet plus millions of Americans.
But something inside me needed to write. Something inside me needed to remind myself as to why we should never forget. For me putting it down on paper (figuratively) helps. It becomes therapeutic almost.
For us to call the events that took place 13 years ago a tragedy is a misnomer. It doesn't quite fit. It was more than tragic. Nearly 3,000 people died that day when the Twin Towers were struck and came crashing down.
This day was more than tragic. That day people had to live the last hours of their lives knowing they were gonna die. When those planes crashed into the Towers where they did, they dictated that anyone trapped above the flames and wreckage would perish. It dictated it so much that people were forced to jump from windows. Not to jump to life but to escape the death that was awaiting them inside. One choice was not better than the next. That day was more than tragic.
That day was more than tragic. That day the first responders rushed to an incident where they knew, that they themselves may not return from. They made the choice to go after and attempt to save complete strangers knowing that this may be the last time they would ever see their loved ones again. Yes first responders can say that about almost every call. But this one was different.
You see the possibility for collapse was there. They knew it. Some even knew they would not make it out. But they pushed forward. They made floor after floor helping those citizens on the way out. But those responders continued to march up those flights of stairs knowing their outcome. They marched up those flights of stairs hoping that their sacrifice would save at least one person, for then it is all worth it. They knew that. That day was more than tragic.
Let us not for get about the lives that were lost on the flight that crashed into the Pentagon. Again, their outcome was dictated the moment those hijackers took control of the plane. They had no choice and we must never forget them. That day was more than tragic.
That day was more than tragic. That same day we lost the lives from Flight 93. The flight that crashed into a field. This plane was on it's way to crash into the White House. But some of the passengers on flight made a choice and dictated their outcome. They challenged the hijackers in attempt to take the plane back. They knew when they made this decision that they too may not make back to their loved ones. A few made phone calls just prior to the "Let's Roll" saying. Who know how many lives were saved by these passengers? This day was more than tragic.
There are certain stories that stick in our heads. Stories that stick out in history. Take the Alamo for example. Why does that stick out in my head, why is it important in history? Because this is where those people knew they were gonna die. They made a choice to stand and fight, knowing the outcome already. But what they did was allow for enough time and create enough causalities in the name of freedom to allow the great State of Texas to live. Those of us that live here will never forget that.
Take the great King of Sparta nearly 2,500 years ago. He took 300 soldiers to a narrow pass called Thermopylae. They were facing an army of multiple thousands. The great King told his soldiers as they went there to fight that they will die there, but it will allow others to live. They all died.
What is slightly different about the two stories I just shared with you is that in both of those cases they were soldiers.
That day was more than tragic. What those first responders and passengers did in the Towers and on those flights was miraculous. They gave this entire country more time. They saved thousands upon thousands of lives. They saved the symbol of this great nation. They pulled us together in a time when we were so far apart. And they did this all as citizens. That day was more than tragic...
So on this day, the 13th anniversary of those horrific event, let's honor and remember all that were affected by those events. We need to reflect on what has taken place since that day. Take a look at where we were then as a nation and where we are now. Are we going in the right direction as a nation, as a city, as a individual? Think about for a bit...
WHY WE SHOULD NEVER FORGET - BECAUSE THAT DAY WAS MORE THAN TRAGIC
