Remembering

Twelve years ago today, I was a first-year law student at the University of Virginia trying my best to survive those notoriously hard core curriculum classes--Contracts, Criminal Law, Civil Procedure and Torts.  My entire world revolved around me, not necessarily as a selfish fault, but because it had to; and it could.  I hadn't met Will, hadn't bought a house, didn't have a career or even a job to clock in and out from, and most telling I hadn't had Frances and George.  And then September 11th happened.  We all cried.  We all prayed.  We all suddenly, instantly had a renewed appreciation for the intangibles in life--family, friends, laughing, loving.

I can't possibly write here anything that hasn't already been said about the enormity of that day.  But I couldn't let the anniversary go without acknowledging its presence.  As Will knows (probably much to his chagrin), I have to talk the hard stuff out.  I need to share.  I cannot ignore and hide away a topic just because it might be painful to face.  And I cannot think of a more painful and important topic than what happened twelve years ago today.  As any parent will understand, I now know more than ever what was lost that day.  Because twelve years ago, I imagined myself (or even worse, one of my loved ones) in those twin towers, on one of the airplanes, or at the Pentagon.  But today, I can't help but imagine losing one of my children or husband.  The pain that the parents and spouses of the victims must have felt that day is simply unreal.  The souls who perished weren't only just like me--they were just like Frances, George and Will.  To someone else, they were their entire world.

In loving memory of those beautiful souls, I remember and I will never forget.