It's Not Only About Grief

Today is the 10^th anniversary of the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. I am very touched by this event, even though I am not directly affected by it (I am not American). I still remember when I was four years old, and I walked into my parents’ bedroom on September 11, 2001. All I saw were flaming buildings on her TV set, and my mother's hands covering her face as she wept silently. I was confused, and when I asked why she was sad, she replied something like this “Estoy triste porque algo malo pasó en el mundo hoy” which is Spanish for “I am sad because something bad happened in the world today”.  Now, I can’t be certain that this was exactly what she replied, but I am certain that it was very close.  I was sad momentarily, but I moved on quickly (mainly because it didn't affect me, and because I was four and my dolls were more important to me). When I was older, I asked my mother why she was sad on that day, and this time she told me part of the whole story, but not all of it (I think she wanted to protect me from the evil in the world).

Recently, I visited Washington D.C. with my grade, and in the Newseum there was an area that was devoted to this horrid day in history. There was a satellite antenna from the actual towers, along with a wall covered in articles of September 11, 2001. Before my visit, I thought that 9/11 was a tragic day (which it was) and that it was only filled with grief. That was when I noticed a small notebook, where people could write anything about that day that they wanted, and in it was an entry that a girl wrote which said the following:

 

I’m glad my daddy missed his flight, or else I wouldn’t have anyone to walk me down the aisle.

 

                That was when I realized that it is not only a day of grief, but also a day to rejoice the lives that were saved. This girl’s father was saved, so we should be happy for her. I know that finding a happy story about this day is like finding a needle in a haystack, but I found one. This story wasn’t somber, it was happy, and I am thankful for the life that was spared. It has been ten years since this tragedy, but America is still recovering from the lives lost. And today, the world remembers the family members and heroes (the firemen and those who tried to help) that were lost. September 11, 2001 is a day that will never be forgotten, so as we remember those lives, we should also be thankful for those who were spared.

Sincerely,

                                Me.