That's how many days I've been alive.
Over 99% of those days I can't remember. I know there were milestones during those days but if you asked me about March 17 of 1997 and wanted to know the specifics of that day, well, I would laugh at you... because I have no clue.
But there are somedays that are seared on my heart. Days that I could recount almost every single detail, great and small.
Today... I can't help but remember one of those days.
I was in the 6th grade in the year 2001. From what I remember it was one of my favorite years of school. I went to W.E. Cherry Elementary. I lived in a cool subdivision and spent my afternoons playing in the yard with the neighborhood kids. It was primarily and innocent time.
Until Septmeber. A month I look forward to every year. It was always a happy day when September 1st rolled around. The countdown to my birthday would begin. I would remind my Aunt and Uncle what I wanted for my birthday. I would plan my cakes and where I wanted to go for dinner. September was always a perfect month.
But not that year.
That year.... I knew the world had changed for me. I guess you could say it went from vibrant to pastel.
I remember being in my PE Class and our homeroom teacher came and grabbed the whole class and made us go back to the room. As we were walking-well more like jogging- behind our teacher back to class I heard an announcement saying that all teachers and students were required to stay in the classroom until told otherwise. I still feel those cold chills the same way I did that day. I felt afraid and no one would tell me why.
We sat in the classroom for what seemed like hours (but I'm pretty sure it wasn't long at all) until finally the teacher looked at us and apologized- I guess because she knew the effect her action would cause- and turned on the news.
By the time we all settled down and looked at the screen we saw smoke billowing out of the first tower. The cold sweat started again. We were young, but we knew that people were in that building. Our teacher started to tear up as she explained what the building was and how many people worked there. Tears began to well up in most of the room as we realized just what we were looking at.
Our neighbors were in danger. Some dying or already passed. And it wouldn't stop. That day as 6th graders we learned that sometimes real life could be way more harsh than the scariest movie.
And then it happened. The second plane hit. We saw it.
Gasps.
Silence.
Sobs.
It was no accident.
I was terrified. I think, for the most part, I believed that the majority of the world didn't want to hurt people. I had seen ugly and tragedy. But PURE evil... I saw that that day.
We didn't turn off the news the rest of the day. We also never left that classroom. I remember holding on to one of my friends as we watched the rest of what happened that day. Together we watched the towers fall. We saw people in NY running and screaming. We cried together. That day, we even prayed together. I still remember the smell of her perfume.
I remember going home and calling my Uncle. He said work was sending him home. No homework that night. At some point my family was there joining me in the living room, me on the floor and them on the couches and chairs, crying and watching.
I remember triumph that day as well. I felt like an American. Like a citizen. I watched, in the coming days-months-years, as MY country joined together as a nation. We prayed for each other. We loved each other. We grieved for each other.
That day changed so much for me. I lost part of being a kid that day... but I gained a patriotism that I think only the events of that day could have birthed.
I'm proud I'm an American. I've seen us perservere and work together. I've seen us turn to The One who can save in the moment we all needed salvation.
Remembering that day gives me hope in our future. Not because of what we lost... but because of who we became together.
Today as we pray for every person affected by the tragic events September 11, 2001 brought us let us also look to the future with the same patriotism, hope, and love for our neighbors that we felt that day.
So, yes... For me the world did go from vibrant to pastel. Thankfully I still see the rainbow. And I know good things are ahead.
God Bless America!
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