What an interesting day I have had.
I awoke to my son swatting me with a stick - he is 1 and a half - which turned out to be a little American flag he had found in a toybox. He woke up full of life and energy and my wife and I joked about he was freeing the hell out of me with the flag. It was a beautiful moment to appreciate the good and the positive of life where I can enjoy my son in all his hellraising fury. I drove to work with my co-worker, both of us vets, and we observed a long moment of silence until the morning show on the radio played their 9/11 montage. It was a unique rendition of their own show, callers and hosts reporting the breaking news... grown men had called in that day in tears, audibly choking back anguish in their voices to request prayers for fallen or missing family members... the hosts, typically full of jokes and good spirits were gravely somber and in disbelief. It brought full body goosebumps and a lump in my throat.
Fast forward through the usual work related non-sense and arrive to my evening.
I came home, no kids tonight, wife at work with the children (daycare) and I'm working on my Jeep and a small mod project - it occurs to me I am 13 years older, 13 years wiser, borderline taking my own freedom which I laid down my life for and friends died to protect for granted and we are on the verge of yet another crisis from the same groups who initiated a devastating blow to the greatest country on earth.
If you're fighting with your wife, if you're upset with your kids or in a bad way somewhere in life... put your phone down, hold them tight and remember that 13 years ago today this country, the entire nation lost families, friends, loveds ones who were not enemy combatants. These were mothers, wives, husbands, children who were out for a vacation, off to work or in the vicinity - all innocent - who did not deserve their fate and were not in harms way except by some cosmic twist of fate.
I know exactly where I was, exactly what I was doing and I will never forget because I can't, I won't and not one of you will either. Make peace with your wife, your brother and your kids - know that each sunrise is a precious jewel, because we may never live to see another sunset.
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