Remembering

Five years ago, I was at work in Detroit, Michigan when one of my co-workers said 'something' was happening in New York. I worked for family-owned business and the president brought in televisions so we could watch the news coverage together. So we pretended to work, wandering down the hall to the conference room and staying for hours while we watched the towers fall, then listening to news about the other two planes in Washington and Pennsylvania. We were scared, shocked, and overwhelmed at the attack on one of our country's most recognized landmarks. We wondered if a plane was heading for Detroit and it's automotive industry. We were angry at the violation. We didn't feel safe.

A lot has happened since then. We've learned to live with yellow, orange, and red alert levels and we pretty much ignore them. Videos from the terrorists and promises of new targets barely register on the radar. Our feeling of invincibility is back. We spend a lot of time complaining about the president and the war and the lies that were probably told. But there's something we should remember, especially today.

Five years ago, we were attacked. Innocent people died in a frightening and horrible way. Brave firefighters and police officers went to their rescue, and many of them lost their lives. As a nation, we reacted with horror. And our military mobilized to protect us. Today, we might not think it was necessary or we might be angry at the loss of life our military has sustained. But I choose to remember that I was scared and angry and I wanted to feel safe again. And that's the job of the men and women who serve in our military. So thank you for doing your jobs while the nation argues about whether or not you should even be over there. Thank you for risking your lives for us, even if we seem ungrateful. Thank you for spending months, or even years, away from your family and friends so that I can live my life no matter what color the threat level is.

A special thanks to my friend, Cindy, at the 190th Air Refueling Wing, Kansas Air National Guard. Not only do you look adorable in that military uniform, but you serve our country every single day. And to my cousin, Travis, who served in the U.S. Navy.

Today, I choose to remember.