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10 September 2010

the day before.

September 10, 2010.
the day before the one that will forever be remembered.
the day before the one that triggered what we still live today, 9 years later.
today is the day that is almost. 
September 10.  this day 9 years ago, lives were normal.  it was last day i can remember that the united states were at peace. 

tomorrow changed everything. 

tomorrow is the reason my 7 year old cousin does not know a world where her country wasn't at war.

tomorrow started a new chapter.  one that tore us apart and brought us together. 

tomorrow
we were broken
crushed
tormented
hurt
bleeding
ridiculed

tomorrow we responded in ways we didn't know we could
we were crying
scared
blinded
brave
comforted
comforting


enraged


in the year or two following tomorrow, it was seen as day of remembrance and sorrow.  now, tomorrow is a day of hatred, fighting and political battles.  koran-burning and mosque-battling are proof.  lives were still lost and grief is still shared, yet the day is not sacred.  tomorrow is not set apart for the precious memory of what was.  since tomorrow is reason for arguing, arguing must not wait until the day after tomorrow.  a bitter irony.

in retrospect, i felt nothing of the attacks.  i was never out of my comfort zone, i never had to worry about loved ones and i really didn't grasp the severity of what happened.  i heard the word "terrorist" for the first time.   

even amidst my sweet naivete

tomorrow changed my life

because of tomorrow, our children will not have the life we did

tomorrow is the reason my courageous husband is giving his life.  so we don't have to live through more tomorrows.  so our tomorrows will be different, better, full of hope. 

so that September 11, 2001 will never happen again. 

for many men and women, tomorrow is the catalyst for why their lives will never be the same.  tomorrow is why they signed their lives over to the service of their country.

 because they signed, their spouses sign.  because their spouses sign, their kids sign. 

i can't remember a day where i wasn't proud of where i was born, bursting with God-given pride that i'm an American.

but because of tomorrow and because of my husband standing up to the attacks of tomorrow, the pride i have takes on a whole new meaning. 


i know why they train.  and i know why they fight. 
and i know why i want them to train and to fight. 


so our children, who will never have the life we did.  will never have to.

6 comments:

Brittany said...

beautifuly written. Goosebumps. Bravo danielle!

Anonymous said...

Danielle, very well written. I really, really like your post!!!

Josh and Bre said...

Love Love Love... well your writing that is not the day. You really are amazing!!

carlotta cisternas said...

What a wonderful post. Loved it...I completely agree you. So wonderfully written!

D said...

Beautiful writing!!! Now following your lovely blog:-) Thank you for visiting me.

Unknown said...

an honest and touching post. :)