My girls and I talked yesterday about the importance of today's date. They remember things from a child's point of view and now years later they still feel much of the same emotions from that day. The three of us were at the elementary school. Their day had just started and then stopped. They remember teachers in the hallways and the televisions being turned on and then off. They saw teachers cry, unable to function, and watched them pull themselves together. They watched as their classmates were pulled out of class one by one by frantic parents. They weren't told what was happening. I was glad. We made the decision to leave them in school that day. Their day was very low key for the most part after lunch. The teachers didn't feel like teaching and I could see they knew nothing would be the same again. The children seemed to know that it was not a day to push their teacher's buttons.
Our girls were told later about what had happened. I can't remember how many months they slept with us after that day. It wasn't just for them. We couldn't bear to be far from them. I think I volunteered nearly every day at the school for the remainder of the year. If I wasn't there for some reason, my girls were afraid. I drove them to and from school after that. Our morning and afternoon talks changed to more serious topics than usual. Every American citizen changed because of that day. My little first grader and third grader were never more proud to say the Pledge of Allegiance after that day. The terrorists have ensured that we now have a new generation of Patriots. A new generation that wants to strengthen their homeland and take nothing for granted.
