In Rememberance of September 11, 2001

In Memory 9/11/01, 2002
Brian Niemann,
Color offset lithograph
Gift of Griffith Phillips Creative

Eight years later we can all still remember exactly where we were when when we heard the news that America had been attacked by terrorists. At that time I was taking care of my mother in the last months of her life. She had suffered a massive stroke two years earlier and with the help of Suncoast Hospice I was able to have her home with us.

On that morning I had finished feeding mom her breakfast and glanced at the television as I was walking back to the kitchen. Good Morning America was on in the living room and just as I was passing by the second plane hit the Twin Towers. I froze in my tracks, not comprehending what I was seeing. The rest of the day is a blur of emotions. I managed to care for mom, but not wanting her to know what had occurred, I tried to hide my emotions and would catch the news when she was sleeping. She died peacefully six weeks later, never knowing about the saddest day in the history of our country.

My regular readers know that I often visit the Library of Congress for vintage photos to use in my blog and this morning was no different. The first two images today are from a special section of the LOC.

After September 11, 2001 and in almost every section of the Library of Congress, staff have sought and received an abundance of original material including prints, photographs, drawings, poems, eye-witness accounts and personal reactions, headlines, books, magazines, songs, maps, videotapes and films.

You can view the entire collection at Witness and Response: September 11 Acquisitions at the Library of Congress.

God Bless America, 2001
Sara Deathridge, third grader
Sequoyah Elementary School
Knoxville, Tennessee

This last image was one I downloaded sometime after the attacks for my personal use, so I don't know who to give credit to. In my heart I believe they would not mind its use here today as we pay tribute to all those who lost their lives that day and in the days to follow.

I would also like to remember how most of us felt that day, how we came together as a nation to heal the wound inflicted. As we have so often done after disaster strikes, after hurricanes and earthquakes, after fires and riots, I call upon my fellow citizens to come together in the tough times we are facing now. To remember that we are all Americans. To remember we have all faced challenges. To remember that we are a caring people. To remember that we are a respectful people. No matter what your political ideology is, today is the day, more than any other, for us to come together and heal as a nation and as a people. What better way to honor those who died on September 11th or have so bravely given their lives in the subsequent wars, than to stand together as one nation, one people — caring and respectful of each other.

We will never forget.

Update: Normally, as a participant in Foodie Fridays, I'm running around blogland collecting recipes and leaving sweet comments as I feel the pounds attaching themselves to my hips. Today I have been visiting those on my blog list and others I have never been to that have been posting memories and tributes to September 11, 2009. They have all been wonderful and tears have been running down my face all day.

I want to share one with you that in no uncertain terms, reflected what I am feeling today. I did shed tears for those who lost and continue to loose their lives because of the events on that fateful day, but I also shed tears because as I look around today I see a country so divided and ask myself if we are honoring all those who have sacrificed since the beginning of our history. Is it not true that divided we fall?

Read Kathy's post @ Emptynester: Remembrance. I see she's already been here today and left a comment and I want to thank her and everyone else for sharing their sentiments today.