The waves spun me around and flipped me as I celebrated the last day of our vacation. My boogie board spit away from me and the salt burned my eyes again. What a great day. On the last day at the beach, Monty and I were playing in the surf--just us and the teenagers. It was so much fun.
Earlier today I had gone for a 2 mile run on the beach and now I was definitely cooled off as the water carried me and my board toward the beach. While I was waiting between sets of waves, my thoughts went back to a day nine years ago that was much different. It was the day our Twin Towers sank into the ground after a vicious attack on our country. It was a day of terror and anger and determination and hope.
A week and a half later in 2001 we were at this same beach on Hilton Head Island, SC. Monty and I talked briefly about cancelling the trip but decided not to let the bastards beat us and keep us cowering at home. There were very few people on the beach that week--nice for us, but sad somehow that so many people were still afraid.
I remember the definite lack of planes in the sky. The only ones we saw were military. It was very surreal. Occasionally a fighter would fly over or a fighter helicopter breezed by. But what I will never forget is the Coast Guard helicopter that flew low along the coastline. We were all still anxious and looking over our shoulders. But when the Coast Guard flew over we felt so much better because we knew that young men and women were standing guard. Most often we never notice them, or they are far away standing their posts so we don't see them. And I had been at that beach before when those choppers flew over and didn't pay attention.
But on that day, it was visible evidence that we were being protected. Apparently everyone on the beach felt the same way because there was a rolling applause as the the crew flew past us. We all spontaneously cheered and clapped. It was amazing and emotional. And for the rest of the week, the sight of the Coast Guard and their vigilance had the same reaction. No matter what people were doing, they stopped to show their appreciation.
So today on the anniversary of September 11, 2001, I am celebrating life. I think that is what the victims of the attacks and the troops who have died since keeping us safe would have wanted us to do. Otherwise, they died for nothing. So I said my prayer and thanked them, then went out to live my life in joy. I hope you are doing the same.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I was not on a beach, but in front of my computer and while tears and memories grew strong, I tried even harder to get the message out there, to thank the heroes, mourn our dead and to say we must never forget.
I didn't do anything special. I did watch a little of the President's speech in NY but other than that, I opted not to read or watch anything else related to it. When it originally happened, I was working in TV and it was a story that never ended.
Post a Comment