If you're interested, the ceremony this morning is streaming live: http://www.911memorial.org/watch-11th-anniversary-ceremony-live-webcast. It will be running for some time. There are far too many names to be read. This day brings the memory of small, individual but no less significant tragedies encompassed within the scope of the greater national one, but also many examples of valor and selflessness. We all remember where we were, what we were doing...I remember watching as the second plane hit, and the sick feeling in my stomach. The first one was no accident. Then, with good friends on the ground with an ESU taking casualties and people hurling themselves from buildings, thinking, Oh my God, everything has changed. Everything.
We could write pages and pages here, but none of it will do our own individual tragedies any justice - certainly no words of ours could touch the vast sorrow of the national one. Try to use the incredible emotion that will be generated today to keep current divisive matters. in context. They attacked a single nation under God that day. Stay in the fight, in your head and heart or in your uniform - blue, camouflage or bunker gear as it may be. Remember 9/11 as you will, but do so in some fashion. An entire generation has come nearly to adulthood with an entirely different reality.
http://www.911memorial.org/watch-11th-anniversary-ceremony-live-webcast
Btw, although they didn't ask for recognition, I'd like to thank Gruntworks for the images.
