September 11th 20 Years Later

September 11, 2001, I was 10 years old. It has always been an event that I remember deeply. Even at 10 years old I remember that day like few others. Living in NJ only a few hours from NYC, many people in my neighborhood would commute to the city for work. That day in school you could feel the tension. The body language of the teachers was calculating and burdensome. Classmates kept getting pulled out of school and teachers were constantly whispering. The low level conversations between teachers always concluded with an amazed face then changed immediately to fear and anger. I knew something out of the ordinary had happened. I jumped off the bus and ran in the house and asked my mother what happened. Then I watched the tv footage and was made aware of the massacre. It wasn't until then, that I started to feel the impact of the blow to freedom and a stagnant sense of uncertainty.

September 12, 2001. The next day, a switch has been flipped. A switch of pride, community and humility. Overnight American flags were everywhere. Closet doors were pulled off their hinges, painted with patriotic and Godly words of encouragement. Set in the front yard, bringing community, peace and unity. Humans are divided now more than ever before. It shouldn't take a tragedy to bring us together. I pray we never have another Sept 11th. But I pray for a September 12th