A Day That Will Never Be Forgotten.

12 years ago, I was a fifth grader, only 10 years old. I was just an elementary student who was getting ready for school one morning when we got a phone call from my pop-pop in Pennsylvania. I remember knowing instantly something was wrong because my grandparents never called in the morning and at that moment as I was standing in my bathroom getting ready I thought that my grandmother might have died. It wasn't until several minutes later when my parents turned on the TV that I understood what was really happening. I remember making a joke that someone was mad at the stock exchange (I was a ten year old and one didn't understand it wasn't the same building nor did I understand was terrorism was, I still had that innocence that comes with childhood).  I went to school, our teacher had the radio on all day for updates. We had a fire drill at school and I remember we all were very scared because we didn't know if something was happening on the west coast. I went home and we continued to watch news coverage for weeks after that. I will never forget how sad I was for the people who lost their lives that day, because it is the same sadness I feel today.

When I was in High school, one of our assignments was to ask someone where they we're when they heard JFK had been assassinated. I asked my grandmother and she said she was  cleaning the curtains that day when she heard it on the radio. My mom and her brother were playing in the living room (i think one of them was sick). I know one day my child will ask me where I was when the twin towers fell, because they will never understand why every adult gets sentimental and hold their loved ones a little closer on September 11 every year. It's been said that memories and tied with strong emotions such as fear, love, joy, that is probably true. I was scared that day and sad and that it why i can remember such exact details of what happened that day.

There used to be a commercial, that said on September 11, 2001 a group of people set out to change America as it showed a neighborhood, it then would show whatever it was advertising and at the end it would say they did change America and show the neighborhood covered in Flags. The commercial is what I remember because it showed exactly what happened. We went out and bought flags put them anywhere we could find a place to put them. We came together as a nation to show our nationalism. The nationalism has faded as it often does, but i hope that doesn't stop people from remembering all the people who were lost that day.

As a photographer and traveler, I think I would have like the world trade center and part of me gets mad that I will never get to see those buildings. Then I remember that people lost their lives in those buildings, and feel selfish for being resentful because I didn't get to see them.

 almost 3000 people died as a result of 9/11 and 6700 people have died fighting since then. Close to 100,000 people have died as a result of the terror that occurred that day. I will never be able to thank all the military personnel and their families who have made sacrifices for keeping me safe. I will never be able to tell every single 9/11 survivor or the family of the victims that their friends and family members did not lose their lives in vain. But I can try and take time out of my day at least once a year to pray for them and remember their loved ones and to continue to support our military in any way that I can.

I found this picture on google. I do not own this picture. (came from www.sept11thememorial.com)