My ten years later.

I graduated high school in the spring of 2001.  In less than a month, I will be returning home to attend my ten year high school reunion.  I haven't seen some of my fellow classmates in years, and there are many I haven't seen at all since graduation.  I am sure we will talk about good times from high school, and the shenanigans we participated in.  We will also chat about what each of us are doing now, and where our lives have taken us.  What I am sure we will not talk about, however, is what impact 9/11 has had on our lives.

Like many who had graduated that year, by the end of the summer in 2001, I was ready to head into the next part of my life and start attending college.  Since the university I attended started classes before Labor day, I had already spent a few weeks at school by the time September hit.  I came to the conclusion, however, that I was not ready for college.  I wasn't ready to be away from home and I wasn't ready to devote myself to a full time work load, so I withdrew.  I just happened to withdraw on 9/10/2011.

On the morning of 9/11, I was feeling happy and excited that I would be returning home.  One of my friends had driven down to take me and some of my stuff home, and we decided to go out to breakfast.  We were having a good time in the restaurant, laughing and joking around.  We were totally oblivious to what was going on.  Sometime while we were at the restaurant, or on the way back from, the first plane had hit.  When we got back to the dorms, there were a bunch of people sitting around the TV's, and that is when I first found out that New York had been attacked.

The rest of that day and the week now is just a blur.  I remember making it home sometime, and hanging out with my friends and talking about what was going on.  We were sitting on the main street our town, and at some point my friend Luke just felt like he had to do something.  He made an impromptu sign that simply stated  "Honk for America", and proceeded to stand at the cross section of the two main streets in our town.  Almost everyone who went through that intersection honked.  We continued to do this every night for the rest of the week, each night attracting more people and signs, till on our final night when we had a candle light vigil.  I remember standing there that night, waving an American flag and thinking I needed to do something more.  A few weeks later I enlisted in the Navy.

And here I am, ten years later, reflecting on how much a single day has affected the last ten years of my life.  I served our great country for six years, and while it was tough at times, I never forgot why I was doing it.  Two of my brothers have also served in the military since that day, one who tragically lost his life serving in Iraq, the other who continues to serve.  And despite all the grief and tragedy that occurred not just on that day, but since as our troops continue to serve overseas, there is a bright spot in my own life that has occurred.  While serving I met my future wife, who's care and love has been much appreciated since we first met.

My many thanks for those who served, and continue to serve this great nation.

To those who lost loved ones on that day, and the days since, my heart and sympathy goes out to you.

Never forget.