What 9/11 means to me

As America remembers the events of 9/11/01 which changed the way we lived our lives by making us more aware of our surroundings and the patriotism that came along after as a country we were attacked.  9/11/01 to me was a day that will always be embedded in my mind as the day my life changed and how I felt being a service member in the US Navy.  I had spent 6 years in the Navy before that day and I knew after that day my career was not over.  I was going to stay in the Navy as long as I could and able to.  I loved my country before 9/11 but I loved it more after 9/11 because it showed me that where I had grown up in NY had just been attacked and wounded.  I knew that we as a nation but as a city would rise from the ashes and thrive in the face of adversity.  I love that about my home state of NY that we don't give up or give in to adversity and instead use it as motivation to survive and thrive.  As the days and weeks passed after 9/11 we were all on pins and needles being more suspicious and conscious of what was going on around us.  As we reach the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 I remember how I felt that day when life was flipped upside down and our "normal" life was something of the past and of our youth.  Since 9/11 we have see things change and some stay the same but I know that we have to still be vigilant to make sure that we live somewhere that is safe.

I will always remember those who gave their lives to save many from the buildings at World Trade Center and at the Pentagon and the heroes of flight 93 who crashed their plane into the field in Shanksville PA.  There are many others who have not gotten the praise but deserve a great thanks like those men and women in uniform who give their lives on a daily basis to avoid that tragedy from ever happening again.  10 years later we are not the same as we were on Sept 10th but maybe that is a good thing because we know our own mortality and can cherish everyday knowing that we are sleeping under the blanket of freedom that our men and women in uniform provide each and every day.

I might not be in the Navy anymore but I do go out of my way to thank a service member past or present because they need to know that someone back here appreciates their sacrifice.  I never received gratitude or thanks while I was in or since I've been out but I know that I did my job to the best of my ability to provide freedom to American citizens.  To all those who gave their lives on 9/11 and since in the wars on terror I thank you for your sacrifice and you will not be forgotten.

Always Remember, Never Forget