Yesterday

Look not mournfully into the past. It comes not back again.
Wisely improve the present. It is thine.
Go forth to meet the shadowy future, without fear.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Yesterday was September 11th. A day of infamy.

Except for me, yesterday was a normal day full of normal things.

As Thoreau wrote, and as I paraphrase, if you’ve read of one disaster, you need never read of another disaster again. One is enough. I didn’t go out of my way to watch the original footage of images as they were replayed yesterday. I saw them once. In real time. That was enough for my lifetime. And in the days following those attacks, I saw that same footage replayed enough so that I will never forget them.

Yesterday, I didn’t light candles.

I didn’t watch the memorials on television.

Yesterday, I lived.

I built castles and “uh-oh’ed” them over into piles of ordinary blocks. I read books. I snuggled my son. I let Joshua feed me bites of Frosty. I spent time with my husband.

I made memories.

And in making those memories I thought to myself “This! This is what it’s supposed to be about!”

In my way, I honored the memories of those who lost their lives that day or who gave their lives trying to save those who lost their lives. I honored the men and women who’ve lost their lives fighting overseas. I honor those who are making sacrifices of time with their families to continue to fight those wars.

I honored them by living.

We honor them by living.