Do You Remember...

Today is a day of reflection and mourning for many. It is a day of infamy, one full of tears, pain and sadness for what had happened to our country. We all remember where we were when we first heard of the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers. We all remember what we were doing at that time. We all remember the look on people's faces, whether they be teachers, workers, students or friends. It is a day that marked the beginning of a different stage in the annals of history. Even though it was not the beginning of Islamic extremism, it ushered in its destructive power in this country's soil. Terrorism had occurred from afar for many years as the West sat idly by and it now made its way to the United States and the course of history was forever changed.
I remember the day of September 11, 2001 as if it was yesterday. I remember the incredibly sunny sky on a beautiful Tuesday in my beloved island of Puerto Rico. It began as any other day in what was an exciting senior year. I remember the day starting with the normal load of advanced classes that were part of my schedule. My friends and I were looking forward to Physics class in 4th period because we were covering the topic of acceleration and one of my friends brought his Playstation 2 with Grand Turismo 2 to show the charts and such that were a part of the game. At the beginning of 4th Period the teacher sent me and two of the other guys in the class to get the TV from the Technology Department. We made our way there and as we walk in the instructor and his 3 students were all watching TV and had an atonic look on their faces.
I glanced at the tv and saw the smoke from the towers' collapse. I asked to see what had happened and the teacher told me that two planes had struck the twin towers. I asked if there were malfunctions or weather problems. He told me there weren't, that it was a sunny day in New York and I knew we were at war. That image shaped my thinking and I knew we were living at a critical time in history. We're always told these things and we hear about it but that's when I KNEW this was our defining moment. How we react and deal with the aftermath of 9/11 will define our generation. The similarities with the Pearl Harbor bombings of December 7, 1941 were stark. At the same time though it would be entirely different. In 1941 we knew who the enemy was and what country it was based from. In 2001 the enemy hides amongst the innocent, in wealthy and poor countries and wears no uniform. In my mind I knew it would emerge as the most difficult of all battles in this carnal world.
We can debate the merits of the decisions made since that day and the consequences we have had to face as a nation. Let us not desensitize ourselves from the reality that surrounds us. We all know someone who was affected from the 9/11 attacks, whether through the attacks directly or from the military actions taken afterwards. We know because of the grace of God what our role should be in the current conflict. If you doubt why we are involved in the current conflicts we find ourselves in, I urge you to watch the news reels from that day. There is a reason we are at war, let us not forget. Pray for peace and for God's will to be done. Only He can bring true peace to this world yet pray that our efforts succeed in some way. Let us pray that our leaders seek wisdom and make the decisions that fit into God's plan.
I know America isn't what it should be and many debate its merits, rhetoric and actions. Many are critical and they have their right to be but I choose not to join in their efforts. It is still the country I love and we all enjoy its freedoms. Its freedoms, which the founding fathers believed were God given, have allowed us to live the lives we have to this point. Let us live in a way that makes us productive citizens of heaven and productive citizens of this country. God bless America!