In Honor of 9/11

This was going to be a different kind of post, but once I started writing, I felt moved to go in a totally opposite direction.  And yes, I’m on vacation enjoying the beautiful ocean and skies of Myrtle Beach, SC, but I wanted to write.  This is actually turning into a short journal entry… Knowing today is 9/11, I want to give honor to those who perished that day. That day was forever burned into our memory.

I’m sure we all remember where we were when the first tower was hit.  I was sitting in my mother’s living room with my two children, my sister and her son.  We were visiting my mother in California, she was going through a very grueling series of chemotherapy and radiation. My mother was diagnosed in 1999 with cervical cancer and had been battling since.

The kiddos were watching cartoons and we were just sitting around having coffee, when the show was interrupted with the breaking news. It was earthshattering to us.  We had just flown in 2 days earlier from the east coast. We were devastated, like the entire nation. My husband is a truck driver and he usually drove near that area in New Jersey. I was concerned where he was and what was going on out there, and around him.

As it turned out, he was perfectly fine and out of harms way. Thank the Lord! Unfortunately, so many lives were changed forever. It saddens me to think of how many people didn’t come home for dinner that night or ever.  We take life for granted.  The Bible says that tomorrow is not promised. (James 4:14) I’m reminded to enjoy each day, each moment. 

We stayed in California for about 3 more weeks.  My mother finished up her treatments.  Although that was difficult in and of it’s self. We almost lost her during one of the treatments, but her days were not up yet. 

Around the beginning of October we flew back home. I can’t really remember the exact day, but I do remember the atmosphere in the airports had changed dramatically. Everything was being scrutinized and watched.  I was thankful.  It gave me a little more peace of mind that we would be safe.

In February, it was our 14 year wedding anniversary.  We decided to go to New York City for the weekend.  It was cold, but beautiful.  We love going up there to the city.  We visited ground zero.  That was so emotional to see all of the flags, flowers, notes and stuffed animals that decorated the streets and gates. You couldn’t help but feel the loss of the officers that still were patrolling that area.  You saw the firefighters and workers working in that area.  The loss on their faces…. heart wrenching. There were several memorials that were being put up to honor those who were lost. That was another day I’ll never forget.  We ended up taking the kids up there in the spring to share that with them.

We have so much to be thankful for in this country.  Is it perfect? No.  Will it ever be? No.  Would I want to live anywhere else? No.

In 2004, we moved my mother to the east coast.  She lived nearby and the kids loved to ride their bikes over to grandmas for treats.  She’d bribe them to play cards with her :)

In 2007, she decided she didn’t want to fight the cancer anymore.  She went home to be with her Lord and Savior. Something she ALWAYS said and still impacts me today is, “Life is short!” It truly is, my life seems to be flying by!

Take a moment and be thankful for your family and your freedom. Be blessed.