9-11, I will never forget

I was driving in the car this morning and realized it was September 11th, 9-11-09

I usually have my car tuned to sports radio in the morning, and when I saw a sign that said, “9-11, We will never forget.” I kind of got the chills.

I turned my radio to the news radio show, and of course that is what they were talking about.
I heard them talking and my mind kind of went back to that day. I remember exactly what was going on when I heard about the first plane hitting the world trade center. I remember the patient I was working on.

Shortly after, I went to the TV in the staff lounge and remember my knees almost buckling when I saw the second tower coming down.

I will never forget that.

I drove in my car for the next 20 minutes thinking about our country and everything that it means to live in this country. I well up with so much pride that I am an American.

This is the best country in the world. We help our neighbors.

Say what you will about the war or being in the Middle East, but I think we are just trying to make this world better and safer.

This is a country that was down, and then the tsunami hits and we give more money than all the other countries put together.

We are free. That means so much to me. Free to elect a president. Free to critique that president. Free to do whatever we want in the confines of the law.

Not many people can say that.

I was in Europe a couple of years ago (now I have been to Europe one time, so don’t think I am this world traveler) and a young couple from Denmark (you know we all want to live in Denmark) was sitting next to me. They felt so free to talk about my country and my president. They had no problem telling me what they thought.

I didn’t say anything. To this day I regret giving this little punk a piece of my mind.
I vowed to never be quiet when someone is talking about my country. I guess it was fear that I didn’t know enough. Fear that this guy knew more about politics than I did.

Next time I won’t care.

It wasn’t that he was talking about a Republican president who I have a lot in common with. I vowed that if someone talks about my president. The president of my country, I will not be quiet.

Someone talks bad about the president now, and I remind them that he is our president. It is okay to disagree with him (because remember we are free) but I’m not a big fan of disrespecting him or talking evil about him.

I did get to go to Ground Zero about a year after 9-11 and there was still black on the adjacent building from the smoke. The whole area was so somber. And to know now that they have started to rebuild this area makes my heart pound.

My head is kind of spinning right now. I am a proud American. I am still a little pissed at the terrorists. But I know in my religion I am supposed to love them.

I want to tell my kids to be proud but to be aware that people want to take this away.
That we must guard ourselves from the enemy.

So you see how I am confused. You see why this blog is a little “all over the place”.
Why would people want to hurt us? I don’t know.

Why should we love someone that is our enemy? I don’t know (I know but it is a little too heavy for this blog right now).

Have a great weekend.

Do not forget the sacrifice of our first responders and the innocent victims on that day 8 years ago.

Think about them today…in fact think about them for the whole weekend. And if you are like me, think about them every time you see an American flag.

John


Thank you