September 11th (again)

Thirteen years have passed. Wounds have healed, but we are sitting here once again reliving those feelings of terror. Terrorists don't kill people. Murderers kill people. Terrorists breed fear and scare people. On September 11, 2001, we were scared. That fear has lasted these 13 long years. Society changed on that shiny blue sky morning. All of the students in my school today were not yet alive on September 11, 2001. This memorial day is nothing but a shadow to them. They don't understand why the adults are so much more quiet today. The somber atmosphere of the country is palpable to us who remember but confusing to those who are living in the shadow of the moment. I remember being their age and being taught about the terror of Pearl Harbor. It held no meaning to me. I couldn't understand how someone could be so effected by a moment that they were not directly connected to. The connection to these national tragedies is stronger than 12-year-old me could have ever guessed. In the morning announcements I couldn't even say the words, "September 11th," to describe today's date. I reported today's date instead as "the eleventh day of September 2014." Even the syllables are sacred. NEVER FORGET NEVER BE AFRAID AGAIN