A day of remembrance

Today is September 11. Enough said... It's seven years later and we must pause to remember. So many memories. Life as an American changed forever that day. It was a hopeful, bright sunny day when early in the morning we all changed together. We watched it happen. We witnessed devastation. We mourned with our loved ones. Some of us knew people that worked in New York and Washington or we knew someone on the planes. If we didn't know anyone personally, we still were moved, touched by the grief of our fellow Americans. I remember taking my children to the dentist that morning. Listening as Katie Couric and Matt Lauer reported the story. I heard about the Pentagon at the dentist office and the plane in Virginia when I was on the way home. Disbelief, shock and fear of what would happen next consumed my thoughts. "America is under attack," I remember thinking and sharing with the receptionist in the dentist office. My most vivid memory happened shortly after I arrived home, turned on the TV and watched in horror as the twin towers collapsed before my eyes. One after the other they collapsed to the ground and the realization of what that meant registered heavy on my soul. Like almost every American I was riveted, paralyzed, unable to move from my TV screen for days. Life just stopped. Living in Boston really hit home because the planes were originated here. So many personal stories to read, care about and cry over filled our air waves and our newspapers. Each one more devastating that the next. Children left fatherless, widow and widowers made instantly and loved ones here one moment and gone the next. I pause today to remember. I will cherish life and the precious gift I have been given. I will say a silent prayer for those whose lives were changed forever on Sept. 11th and thank god for my loved ones. I know from experience that you really never get over the loss of a loved one, a person whom is an integral part of your life. But eventually you learn to make peace with it and you move forward as best you can. My wish, my prayer this day is that the survivors find peace.