Remembering 9/11

A year ago today, I was in London for the tenth anniversary of a day that I will never forget. Whenever someone mentions the attacks, I always see the buildings burning in my mind. A mental replay of the images shown live on TV that day eleven years ago.

I was only in fifth grade, but I remember it like it was yesterday. My younger sisters don't really remember, they only know what they've seen as the years have passed and their awareness of these things becomes more defined.

But I remember. Last year, the remembering happened with a piercing clarity that was made ever clearer with rumors whispered that London might be a ten-year-anniversary target for another attack. And though nothing happened (thankfully!!), it was a somber anniversary as tourists from around the world remembered. BBC News covered all of the ceremonies happening here in America. Everyone knew, how could we forget?

(Read about my experience of the ten-year anniversary here:  http://followinghadrianswall.blogspot.com/2012/03/somber-10-year-anniversary.html)

And this year I continue to remember the people that died that day, the people that lost loved ones, the heroes that are now suffering under illness bourne of the ash that rained down on them that day, a nation bleeding and weeping, a nation uniting in the face of devastating tragedy, and the terrible emotions that marred the date "9/11" for a nation - for the world.

In the face of such tragedy, how can words be found to describe such a thing: the loss, the horror, the pure emotion, the questions?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so maybe this will put into emotions what I cannot say in words today.

(Picture borrowed from: http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd115/duhbomb08/9-11.jpg)