Live every day to the fullest.
In other words: eat more Flourless Chocolate-Chip Cookies.
I struggled with today’s post.
Mostly, I struggled in deciding whether or not to publish any post today. Today: September 11th.
I’d completely forgotten until last night. My initial reaction was to unschedule the recipe post I’d written (ironically enough, for New York-style Cheesecake) and take a day off from blogging, in honor of the victims of 9/11. It seemed wrong and superficial to talk about desserts on the anniversary of a day so many innocent people lost their lives.
However, I’m not sure the victims of September 11th would want that. I think they would want us to honor their memories by celebrating life; by not taking a single moment—or a single person in our lives—for granted. Yes, it’s cliché to say, “Don’t take anything in your life for granted.” But just stop for a second and really think about the meaning behind the cliché. Think about aspects of your life that you do take for granted.
Personally, I can always use a reminder to put the little things—a failed recipe, a bad hair day, even a slow internet connection—in perspective. Likewise with people: instead of getting annoyed at a friend’s bad habit that drives me crazy, I should be grateful the friend is in my life and is therefore able to annoy me.
Also, as horrible as September 11th was, we need to remember that atrocities are still taking place every single day around the world. It’s easy to sit back and pretend we’re being patriotic by waving our American flags and spouting out phrases like: “I’m proud to be an American” and “Support our troops!” But what would really show patriotism would be to get out there and actually do something, whether it be volunteering at a food pantry, writing letters to the brave men and women fighting overseas, etc.
I was so active in high school—visiting nursing homes, making comfort pillows for a local hospital, going to the animal shelter, coordinating service projects through my church… I’m embarrassed to admit that as college work became more time-consuming, I cut back on these other activities and went from helping so many causes to helping very few. I really need to get back into it. Sitting home and pretending to be a good person helps no one.
Question of the Day:
Do you remember where you were on September 11th?
I was in high school, and when my math teacher told us a plane had hit the World Trade Center, I thought he was making a really bad joke. And then some kid did play a really bad joke—he called in a bomb threat to our school, so we spent the rest of the day huddled together in the football stadium. We were hot (It was over 100 degrees), hungry (Our lunches were left in the evacuated building) and scared, with no idea what was going on. Kids didn’t have iphones back then.
But when I got home, I obviously learned that, as bad as my day was, it paled in comparison to the day of so many others.
You are beautiful!!! 🙂 Africards–wonderful! 🙂
On September 11th, I was in seventh grade. 😛 I had block scheduling, it was done with four 1hr and 15min classes. All of my teachers had their tvs on and at least half were in tears–all very upset. The main feeling I felt was confusion. I didn’t really grasp what was happening. I remember coming home from school–the road was empty. I live next to a highway. Silence. Eerie silence. And it always vibrates here because of that stupid highway. I’d love any silence of that highway–except if the circumstances are like what they were. That’s when I really felt the emotion set in. Kind of like a pain in my gut, and a guilt because I couldn’t do anything.
An interesting day. Still feels like it was just a couple years ago. I can’t believe it’s been ten years and that I was eleven and now I’m 21. WEIRD!!!
I find it hard to believe that ten years have already passed since the horrible events of 9/11. I was only six then, and in primary school when it happened. Back then I never really understood the attack (the terrosism behind it), but now it terrifies me horribly.
I was in class — it was my second week of college. It was such a strange day because no one knew what was going on, we had to piece everything together. When I finally got home (they closed the whole campus eventually), my mom met me outside in tears. We watched the news for the rest of the day and I will never forget watching that footage.
No one will ever forget where they were on Sept 11, 2001 (unless they were like, under the age of 4). It doesn’t matter where you are from, you will always remember.
And I don’t think it’s wrong to go on with your regular routine, posting about desserts, or shoes, or whatever it is you want. That doesn’t make you disrespectful, it doesn’t make you insensitive, and it doesn’t make you a bad person. Regardless of whatever horrible tragedy’s anniversary it is, life goes on. If we didn’t live life on these days, we’d probably spend more time “in memory” than actually living, doing, changing, helping, growing…and that isn’t the point. Take a moment, reflect, say a prayer or whatever you need to, and continue on.
I was on the Universe Explorer with Semester at Sea headed to Japan. We had no idea that the United States had been attacked because it was a time before constant connection was available. I was actually in Hiroshima on September 12 when I was finally informed. It was months before I was able to find a decent english-speaking news coverage videotape of the event. Even contacting friends and family back in the States was tricky for the first week after the event. We, on Semester at Sea, were considered thus forth as a “moving target” and our loved ones at home could no longer track our whereabouts on the internet.
I appreciate your circumspection, I think it’s so lacking in the majority of the human race: as I type this there is a Unicef appeal on the TV explaining that in Somalia, a child dies of starvation every six minutes. That is just one problem of MANY on this planet. Thank you for this post.
I remember that day like it was yesterday. I was a freshman in high school, in my second period social studies class, watching it on the new in horror and disbelief. It was so surreal. I still get teary watching or reading news footage today, especially the story of the man in the red bandanna I watched the other day on ESPN. The tragedy that unfolded that day is what moved my boyfriend to join the US military to serve & protect his family, friends, and country. Always remember, never forget 911/01. Can’t believe it’s been ten years !!
Also, my boyfriend was working as an ironworker at the time, and left with some of his coworkers/family members to help in the cleanup/aftermath, but was turned away. Looking back, it was probably a blessing in disguise, as you see how many of those workers are suffering from illness like the commenter above me mentioned.
Your Africards are so great!
I totally agree with you about atrocities still happening, and the need to do more than just shout patriotic things. We need to do something to help create tolerance in this world so that things like this can stop happening!
I remember where I was…in college, 3 days before my 18th birthday (which fell on the day of our first dance)…we all realized there were way more important things than finding dates to our dance!
I was in my seventh grade life science class when my teacher told us. At the time, I didn’t even know what the World Trade Center was because I had never been to New York. A year later though I did go to visit Ground Zero, and there was a palpable vibe that just made me so sad; thinking that this was where people died, and others were traumatized. 10 years later we are seeing the toll that the smoke took on the firefighters and others who helped because they are now contracting illnesses from it and still dealing with PTSD problems. They need our love and prayers too.
Your post was a fine idea Katie. Let us (all) always remember September 11. Never to forget what happened on that unspeakable day, to every victim that lost their life. To every family that lost loved ones.
The days, weeks, months and years ahead have been filled with grief, sorrow and such tremendous sadness. We do have to move on though …. but, never-ever forget.
I was working from home on this day ….. along w/a friend. We were on separate floors. As I was about to finish breakfast, while watching Katie Couric and Matt on the Today Show, all of a sudden those horrid images appeared. It was just absolutely dream-like. That I was not even awake or in my kitchen.
Throughout the years, I never forgot. With each package, letter or postal sent, I would always attach a red, white and blue ribbon-sticker. It meant a lot. To always remember these thousands of innocent victims.
Love reading your posts Katie.