Never forget

September 11 is one of those days you will always remember what you were doing when the world stopped and watched as terror rained down on our country in New York City. I was a senior in college at SIU, not a worldly young woman to say the least, and I had no idea what was going on. Not that anyone understands what happened that day ot ever will, but I really didn't. I remember feeling "safe" or at least a little safer because my roommate's ex-air force father was visiting and sat with us girls as we sat quietly, dumbfounded in our dirty living room around our little tv watching all the news coverage. 

Today, September 11 brought on a whole new meaning for me as I am sure it has for many new parents. Patriots, displaying flags and "never forget" signs stood on the bridge over the interstate. Kirby asked, "are those flags, mom?"  Of course I cringed because I worried he might have a follow-up "why" question, but he was satisfied enough with my affirmative, "yes, those are flags, buddy. Look at them wave in the breeze."  But this morning's little innocent question made me realize that pretty soon he won't be satisfied with a yes or no. He will want more information from me. Some day I'm going to have to explain to my kids that there are people in this beautiful world our Heavenly Father created that make bad, misdirected decisions.  And the worst part about these decisions is that they might, just might hurt a hair on the head of one of my babies. How does a mom explain that to her children?

My payers are with the fallen of September 11 and with the men and women continue to fight this war on terror to try and make our world a safer place, but my prayer is also for all the moms out there whose little boy or girl asks, "mom, are those flags?"  

God bless us all.