We WILL remember

Ten years ago today, my softball coach called over the intercom and asked for all softball players to report to him.  Once we got there, he asked us to call our parents because our game had been canceled.  He left the room and I grabbed his desk phone to all my mom.  She immediately answered the phone:

Me: Hey mom it's me.
Mom: Sherika? Sherika? Are you okay? Is everyone at school okay?
She was clearly in panic mode.
Me: Yes mom I am fine.  Are you okay?
Mom: You don't know what happened?
Me:  Something happened?
The girl quickly realized that something serious had happened and my mom was about to tell me.  The came as close to me as possible in attempt to hear what my mom was about to say.  Someone finally decided to put her on speaker phone.
Mom: Sherika, there has been a terrorist attack.  A plane flew into the World Trade center.  Honey, it is pretty bad.  But don't worry you will be fine.
At this point our coach walked back into the room.  He realized my mom had just told us what he was clearly trying to avoid telling us.  I hung up the phone and just looked at him.
Coach: No one in this room is to tell another student what you just heard.
We all went back to class and attempted to not tell anyone.

What happened ten years ago was horrible.  Actually I don't even know if that is a proper way to describe it.  But I do not that we should never forget it.  This past spring I was teaching my class about Pearl Harbor.  I tried to compare it to 9/11  to show how horrific it was.  A student raised his hand and stated that he did not remember 9/11 and actually had no idea what really happened, he didn't even know there were four planes.  I stood there in complete shock.  I asked my site teacher if we could stray from the lecture to allow me to explain 9/11.  She said it was fine, and I started with the above conversation.  Once I was finished, the students asked why no one told that what happened.  I told that it was just so scary for everyone.  Especially the people who watched it unfold.  I don't even like talking about it because it is so upsetting (I am actually watching the special on Lifetime right now and attempting not to cry).  But I realized that day, that people are forgetting to remember and forgetting to tell our youth what happened.  I think that is important to remember 9/11 just like it is important to remember the 4th of July and Pearl Harbor.  I guess that since I am history I believe that if you don't remember your past and learn from it, you are doomed to repeat it. 

So I just ask, even if it is once a year, remember 9/11.  Remember to tell someone what you were doing when your learned the news. Remember to keep praying for the people who lost ones and for the victims.  Remember all of the police officers, firefighters, and anyone else who helped to get the victims out.  Just always remember.