Do You Remember?

We all remember, don't we? This day 13 years ago. I remember moment by moment the details of my day, I think most of us do. I was waking up, glanced at the tv and thought nothing of what I saw. As I got out of bed and put my robe on I looked at the tv again. What movie is this? It doesn't look familiar. I went to start the coffee then turned on the tv in the living room... odd, same channel that we had on in the bedroom. I shrugged it off and went outside to smoke. Came back in and poured my coffee, sat down on the sofa, and picked up the remote... maybe there was news on somewhere.
Channel change... what the hell? Is this... this can't be real! A couple more channel changes and all I find is the exact same image. I turn on the sound to see if it's real or if I need to drink down my coffee, then I walk in to wake up my boyfriend. David? Hun? Wake up! You need to see this! He was so cranky when he was woken up! I led him to the living room as he bitched and moaned and demanded coffee... sat him down in front of the tv, "what show is this?" 
"This is the news, David, This is right now." We stared at the tv for hours. What was happening, what just happened?
As the day went on they start reporting of a plane going into the Pentagon, and one crashing in the middle of a field... could all this be related? No one really knew at that point. So much confusion in the media, not even our military or government could answer the questions.
All day we sat, watching in awe. What do we do? Everyone is right where we are- at home watching the news, waiting. No one knew what we were waiting for, but we were waiting.
I went to work that afternoon... I was sure if anyone left home the bar would be the place to go! And I was right. Customers came in like zombies- lost, confused... and needing a drink to deal with it all! It was far from the normal lively crowd I was used to. We had the tvs on, and we talked about the tragedy. No one played the juke box, no one played pool. They all just sat.
It was a couple days before we could even begin to process what had just happened- the lives lost, the attack on our country, the day that would forever change our nation.
Hundreds of thoughts and questions went thru all our heads that day. Fear, loss, a feeling of vulnerability. 
I am grateful for the men and women who gave their lives to protect and save others that day- the first responders, the men and women of flight 93. My thoughts are with the families who lost someone that day. 9-11, now officially  recognized as Patriots Day, is a part of our history. Pearl Harbor, D- Day, and this. Don't ever forget, and don't let your children or grand children forget the importance of this day.
The men and women who have lost their lives since that day 13 years ago, our future depends on the younger generation understanding why.