On 9/11/01 I was eight months pregnant with my second baby, a little girl that is now my tween girl who finds chapters about the horrors of 9/11 in her history books. I was also a mommy to a sweet 4-year-old boy who is now a high school junior. I will never forget how that day affected me. I felt like I might go into early labor due to the stress and sadness that pressed on my heart.
I remember being thankful that the Disney channel was still showing regular programming as it was the only place that I could keep my small son away from the terror of the day. I remember the eerie feeling of seeing no planes in the sky for the days that followed. Suddenly the world felt scarier, but smaller, too.
I remember the tears of friends who lost friends in the tragedy. I remember checking in with my beloved past coworkers from two industries that would be forever changed….the airlines since I had been a Southwest Airlines marketing manager and the news stations since I had just left my producing job at our local morning show to have my second baby. I will never forget their faces on TV, calm and professional, but because I knew and adored these hard working journalists, I could see their shock and broken hearts, too.
We must never forget. We must always remember. We must continue to cherish our freedoms and our country as a tribute to the lives lost on that terrible September day that started out so beautiful and sunny.
Those babies of mine are now almost young adults who will go out into the world soon to hopefully make a difference and shake things up. September 11th is a painful reminder of the freedoms that we can’t take for granted. I am thankful to those heroes that gave their lives trying to save and protect us on that day and the days since with our military men and women risking their lives to protect our freedoms. Today I honor them and those lost with this post and some images that I saw on Facebook that truly touched my heart….
