I've heard people say we should not celebrate 9-11.
My whole heart agrees with them, my mind goes beyond it.
The people who died that day 10 years ago would want us to remember that one day does not define an eternity of living.
If anyone passed our house today they might have suspected there was a celebration of sorts happening between our house and our son's new house next door. They would have been correct.
Tomorrow (Sept. 12th) marks the day, 80 years ago, that my father came into a nation weak with depression. The year was 1931.
Life went on and Dad lived his life.
Today was not only 9-11; it was also Grandparent's Day. Grandparents who witnessed not only the terrorist attacks on 9-11-01 but many wars and changes across our nation as well.
Life went on and our grandparents lived their lives.
Today is 9-11 and it is a day worthy of having three veteran's together in the same house:
my father: veteran of the Korean War
my uncle: Green Beret veteran of the Vietnam War
my cousin's husband: veteran of the Gulf War
They fought. They served. The came home.
Life went on and they lived their lives.
They continue to live their lives in a world post-9-11.
Today is a special day.
It is a day to remember our fathers still alive...and our fathers now deceased.
It is a day to visit with our veterans...and pray for those now gone.
It is a day to hug our grandparents...and cherish our days with them...those remaining and those now gone.
It is a day to honor families and those we love.
9-11-01 happened when I was 6 months pregnant with Annie.
I didn't realize the significance of that day. I could barely discern where the Twin Towers were that day as I watched the towers fall and my living room filled with family.
My geographical knowledge has improved somewhat since 9-11.
Today my living room, like those of 9-11 families, differs. Some family members are no longer with us.
New family members have entered the room.
Life goes on...for all those children born in 2001 and after.
I've heard people say we should not celebrate Sept. 11th.
It isn't that we celebrate Sept. 11th.
Rather, it is a day that demands our attention to stop and remember, respect, and celebrate LIFE.
9-11 was a tragically sad day. I do not mean to be insensitive to those who lost their loved ones but I suspect these people would say that, even while their families are not the same as they were 10 years ago, life has gone on and the families who exist today have a new-found appreciation of Life and the people present in their lives today.
9-11 taught us all how to appreciate Life a little better.
We celebrate Life around us and Life beyond us.
We celebrate the people from our past and the people present to us today.
I honestly think those who lost their life on 9-11-01 would ask us: "How did you live today?"
My father has seen much in 80 years of living.
We pray he has many more years of living and seeing future generations join us in the living room.
We are thankful and blessed to have been able to celebrate his birthday this weekend.
Blessed to have blessed him.
Today he toasted his oldest grandson and fiancee' with styrofoam cups of champagne.
His 80th birthday marked the first party in the couple's new home which he hopes will see many years of happy memories, fun times, sweet tears, and life! Life in abundance!
He passed a torch to the couple who will get married in April 2012.
He handed them the keys to a life which he hopes and prays will be a good life because he knows that life goes on and it's worth celebrating.
Do we live it? Life, I mean?
Do we live it in abundance?
Do we love abundantly?
Do we live life fully?
Thankfully?
Joyfully?
Do we?
Beautiful, Cay. Thank you for sharing.
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