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.
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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.
Perfect
Thank you.
We cleaned the garage while the kids were off camping with the grandparents. We went on a date. We lived the American Dream, if I may say so myself. For a minuet I worried that we werent being sad or vigilant enough. Thank you for reminding me how important living is.
I thought that, too. That I wasn’t being sad. That something was wrong with me because I wasn’t mourning, and perhaps I would feel differently regarding that mourning if I’d lost someone I knew personally that day. But I know that what I want after my life isn’t for those I leave behind to weep and mourn for the life I’ve lost. I want them to rejoice for the life I lived and to keep living their own lives.
I too remembered. The same way you did, by living. I dared to watch the dreadful footage of helpless people, making my self helpless. I will never forget what happened on that day, not just on the anniversay but everyday. Life continues for those that remain, making memories so those we make memories with will never forget, the joy they bring us, the love in our hearts for them. I could go on but you my dear have said it well!
Thanks for teaching me to keep living.
Good for you. It’s the way it should be 🙂
I’m thankful for Sunday. It was a really good day.
I watched some memorials in the morning until my life woke up. Then is was brunch, park, and kids all day long. But every time I was an air liner fly overhead I remembered. It still breaks my heart to this day.
Margaret (@goodbadfamily)
It breaks my heart to remember, but if we allow every piece of tragedy to repeatedly break our hearts, we’re just broken, you know?
We remember. But we keep going.
Yes. This is how it should be.
I feel like quoting Thoreau here for some reason 🙂
Also, thank you.
Well done. I watched and lost myself in the tragedy all over again. I think in the future, I’ll spend more time doing exactly what you did.
I’m so glad you did. We did the same thing. We got out the pool for the kids. Had water balloon fights etc. My husband and I had a moment while the kiddos were in bed to remember those who were lost and send our thoughts to those that have lost loved ones. But most of the day was family time…and living.