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| Photo by Julien DI MAJO on Unsplash |
Today I thought I would pause for a few minutes to remember the tragedy of 9/11. It was 25 years ago today. My social media feeds are full of photos, memes and other remembrances. In the past I have shared my story. We all have a story...a memory of where we were when we heard and after. But today I want to focus on things after 2001. In fact, after 2011 when I shared my story.
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| Photo by Jesse Mills on Unsplash |
Now that Hazel is older, I have shared my story with her. For one of her classes, she had to interview someone about a historical event. Many of her friends shared their parents' stories of the day. Hazel wanted something different, so I shared my memories of the Columbine shooting. It was the first publicized school shooting that I remembered, and I was teaching at the time, so it was significant. However, I have shared my 9/11 story with her including the planes passing over the school in the week following it and our worried looks when we heard them. We had protected her as long as we could from the violence in the world. It was not easy to do.
As Hazel got older and into musical theatre, she really wanted to see the musical, Come from Away. We were able to get tickets when it was in Boston a few years ago. I didn't know anything about the musical but took her because she wanted to go. It was amazing and reminded me of the good in people and how the horrible 9/11 tragedy brought people together and brought out the good. As I reflect on it now, I think about how it wasn't just Americans banding together, but people from all around the world trying to help and felt our pain and sorrow. This musical helped remind me of this. If you haven't seen it, you really should. It is amazing and a wonderful reminder of the good in the world and the strength in being together.
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| Photo by Sedric Benson on Unsplash |
This June when Hazel and I were on our two weeks long car trip to visit colleges, we were in New York City visiting Pace University. My nephew met up with us after the tour, and we grabbed lunch and he took us sightseeing as he often does when we are in the city. While we were walking around, he asked if we had seen the 9/11 Memorial. Hazel quickly answered we had not but that it was on my wish list of things to do in the city. The three of us walked over and stood in silence at the glory and power of it all. It is serene and felt a bit sacred. I remembered the stories. I remembered the people and prayed for them and their families. I looked around and saw many people getting photographs of themselves and their friends and family in front of it and I honestly couldn't imagine wanting one. My phone stayed put away the entire time I was there as I was there to remember and to honor. I also couldn't imagine smiling, laughing, etc. close to it as many were. It was such a powerful way to honor and remember. I highly recommend it if you can go.
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| Photo by Christian Lendl on Unsplash |
Now as I'm writing this post I wish I took photographs to share of the memorial, but I found some on-line. As I said my mood while I was there was to honor those lost and pray for their families. It was also to pray for our country while we are so divided. It was to remember how we came together when there was great tragedy. I hope we can come together again and find our way back to being one nation and one world. I hope we can do both without a horrible tragedy this time. So on this day, I wish you peace and good health. I hope you will join me in remembering and honoring those that we lost as well as those that were there to support and hold us together.
To go with my reflection, I thought I would share some books that we have shared in the past to help kids understand the importance and hugeness of 9/11.
1) Picture book for ages 5-8: 30,000 Stitches: The Inspiring Story of the National 9/11 Flag by Amanda Davis and illustrated by Sally Wern Comport
2) Middle grade nonfiction for ages 8-12: Where Is New York? by Jennifer Marino Walters and Who HQ and illustrated by Ted Hammond
3) Middle school novel for ages 10-14: The Ambassador of Nowhere Texas by Kimberly Willis Holt
4) Middle grades novel for ages 8-12: Big Apple Diaries by Alyssa Bermudez
For prayers and more memories of this day please check out these posts.
