I often remember my grandfather sharing tales of his Korean war experiences, and to the mind of a young child these visons seemed like foggy made up dreams far from the reality I knew. Almost like the bedtime stories Wendy recites for the Lost Boys in Peter Pan. However, as a parent now I see the need to tell these stories and pass them down to other generations. In this way we weave threads together and knit the line that connects us to our family past, and family of the future. Like many of you reading this, I remember exactly where I stood when the World Trade Center was hit. I remember watching the second plane hit behind Katie Couric's head on live TV. I remember the Firefighters who ran into the smoke and never came out. I remember the brave woman who fixed her skirt before she jumped to her death. I remember the weeks and months that followed. The steam engine that is the American political machine amping up boys across the nation to go defend US Soil. I knew those boys. I grew up with those boys. I dated those boys... I married that boy. The one who jumped quickly from boy to man and who found out that there are scars of war that go much deeper than any physical trauma the body might endure while deployed. I remember being the wife of a soldier when it was cool to wear a yellow ribbon on your lapel, or your purse. I remember yellow ribbon magnets on cars. Yellow ribbons were tied to tree's lining neighborhoods. I remember painting white sheets to hang on the side of the freeway to welcome soldiers home. I remember a nation that stood together and bled together. That younger, less exhausted version of me barely recognizes the world of today. Who knew in 22 years things would change so much? Who knew that social media would become the next biggest weapon to emerge from modern technology? Who knew the news would start censoring content? When did we stop remembering the things that matter? When did finding out the truth become less cool than creating an entertaining story that gauges likes and followers? Am I the only one struggling with where things are headed?
If we want the people who lost their lives 22 years ago to truly be honored, we can not stop talking about it. We have to keep knitting the thread, we have to make the story so real for our kids today that they can't be swayed by "modern interpretations" of what happened. You saw it first hand, you lived it, you owe it to them to feed them that truth. We owe it to the country we love to keep telling stories, and keep reminding our children that we are One Nation Under God, Indivisible; with Liberty and Justice for ALL.
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