Never Forget

I posted this image a year ago, which I took in the mid-2000s from Jersey City. So much has changed in a year, but so much remains the same. On this day, I don't feel right blogging about makeup. This entry is not a place for partisan bickering, it's just a few of my thoughts on this solemn day.

The world as we all knew it changed irrevocably 13 years ago today.

May we never forget.

May we never forget the innocent souls whose lives were lost, the families whose world will never be the same, the bravery and sacrifice of the first responders, and the many young men and women who have been lost overseas in the conflicts since then. No matter your political stripes, walk of life, or personal connection, we all lost something 13 years ago today: our national innocence.

My prayers are with those still grieving, still suffering, and for those who put their lives on the line in defense of mine. May we never forget the terrible events of 9/11, and it's also my prayer that we somehow remember that feeling of national unity we had shortly thereafter and stop the petty political in-fighting.

My prayers are that we all hold our loved ones a little tighter today and remember that life is fleeting and that things can change in an instant. Don't put off telling someone you love them a moment. Every year that goes by, I hope that the raw wound being carried by the families heals just a little bit more. May we never forget.

This day is one of sad reflection every year, as the events of that fateful morning surely shaped every facet of my life. From how I see the world to my eventual career. It even changed my graduation year from college as I juggled my classes. It's amazing to think that one morning can change the direction of an entire life.

May we never forget.

Someday I will share the stories with my eventual children- about what New York was really like in the chaotic weeks and months to follow. Of the desperate missing signs in Penn Station. Of thinking that it was snowing in November, only to be hit by a sudden realization that it was simply a shift in the wind and ash blowing into Midtown. I don't need to watch the footage every year, as those moments are forever etched into my mind's eye and I couldn't forget them even if I wanted to. Though I'm not in NYC today (and haven't been for years), my heart is there. And in northern Virginia. And in rural western Pennsylvania. One morning, changing the world as we knew it forever.

I give thanks this morning and all mornings for all of the anonymous people who have dedicated their lives to the motto of "Never Again." Although the world changed that morning, I don't even want to imagine it without your efforts.

May we never forget.