a99kitten's Musings

I wasn’t in NYC, DC or Pennsylvania. I didn’t know anyone that died. I know people that were in NYC, and heard their stories. But that’s it.

But I am an American. And proud to be. Every single day.

Even though so many things happen here that disgust me, anger me, annoy me. We are still the best country in the world. If you don’t live here and you disagree with that. OK. Please stay away. No big deal. If you live here and disagree – feel free to leave right now. In fact – get the F out. Please. Now.

I am probably not going to watch many specials, or read a lot of stories. It does still make me sad. And angry. I get way too melancholy. I still remember that day very vividly. I remember the exact moment someone called us (quite early on the West Coast.) Turning on the TV and watching the news. Trying to call people we knew in NYC and not getting through. Walking on the beach with the huskies on a beautiful sunny day thinking what the heck just happened and how will it change the world forever. Our business suffered a big blow on 9/12 and we had to do a huge round of layoffs right then too. So a bad month. While certainly not the same type of tragedy in any way, still one that effected a lot of people around me. Bad time for sure.

But I cannot even begin to imagine what it is like for people that lived through it. I had nightmares for weeks (and still sometimes do) wondering to what extent the world has changed and worrying. And I was pretty far removed from it all. But I do stress about it fairly frequently. Which is why I understand the need for people like Dick Cheney and the role of the CIA and special forces. If you say you don’t, you are being naive, stupid or just lying to yourself.

So all the memorials and TV specials and politicians blathering on will never really make it better for the people who went through this. Or make me or you fully understand it. That’s the nature of trauma and disaster. No one can truly understand what any Nazi war prisoner went through. Or the servicemen and residents at Pearl Harbor.

We can only take the time to salute the heroes, honor the fallen, be thankful you were safe and always pray (to whoever or whatever that may be) for the safety of our military. They fight every day. And every single person living in this country, enjoying its vast freedoms, should do that.