As I look back on this date every year, I get a sense of pride. This pride comes from knowing that fourteen years ago our country banded together and overcame and attack. An attack that was the biggest attack on United States soil since the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I’m proud to be and American. I may ot be proud of some decisions our country’s politicians have made, but I’m proud to live in a country where I have freedom. I’m proud of the men and women that keep me safe by putting their life in danger. As President Roosevelt said “Today is a day which will live in infamy.” He was referring to Pearl Harbor, but his words ring true to nine eleven. Today we use Never Forget, but it has the same feelings.

People say they remember exactly what they were doing when tragic events happened. Like Kennedy’s assassination, the Challenger explosion, Nine Eleven. I was just starting my first year of college at John A. Logan College. I had an afternoon class that day, but I had a doctor’s appointment earlier in the day. I turned my TV on and saw the Pentagon on fire. I thought nothing of it and fell back asleep for a few minutes. When I woke up for the day was when I saw the first tower fall. At that moment I knew this was more than just the Pentagon on fire. I ran into my parents room to wake up my mom. I told her something bad has happened. We watched TV and just cried together.

After and hour of watching things unfold I had to get ready to go to my doctor’s appointment. I watched as I got dressed for the day. I listened to the radio as I was driving to the doctor. The waiting room was silent. No one was talking. Just watching everything happen. It was a strange feeling not knowing what was going on, but seeing it go on at the same time. My name was called to go back into the exam room and the same silence everywhere.

My doctor’s appointment ends and I go to get lunch before my class. On any other day I wouldn’t remember what I had. I went to Subway fourteen years ago and got a six inch ham and American cheese with mayo, pickles, and salt and pepper.  I took it to school with me and ate in the common area while going over some class notes. There were TVs set up and other students were huddled around watching and consoling each other. It was just comforting to see people standing together for our country. People that have never met and wouldn’t know each other after that.

During class, my instructor didn’t even teach. He came in and said he had a lesson plan for the day, but after the events of the day he couldn’t teach.

After all the events of the day a felt a sense of unity in our country. A unity that came together in a time of need. Unity that brought a country together when we were kicked down.

 Never Forget the men and women who lost their lives 14 years ago! Never forget the people that rushed into buildings that were on the verge of collapse! Never forget the men and women on a plane in PA that tried to stop something bad from happening! NEVER FORGET!

Something you might not know about me is that I love writing poetry. There are so many different types of poetry, but my favorite to write is free verse, the type that has no rhyme scheme.

First, I’d like to share a little about where I think my love of poetry came from. We always did poetry units in school. It was always pick a poem. memorize it, and recite it in class. That was okay, but I didn’t really have an interest in reciting a poem to people. I think my love of writing comes from my church youth leader. She was an English teacher and even though she taught at another school I learned so much from her. Writing has always been something that I loved and she made it fun!

Here’s some of my poems:

A Mother’s Love is a Beautiful Thing

A mother’s love is a beautiful thing.

A mother is a child’s first friend.

Love from a mother has no end.

A child’s love for a mother has no end.

A mother is a child’s first friend.

All the happy moments

in a child’s life

a mother is there.

All the bad moments

in a child’s life

a mother is there.

A mother is there through it all.

A mother’s love is a beautiful thing.
Our Heroes Then and Forever

A day to look

back

on another year.

Remembering

Our heroes.

All who were

lost on

that Septemeber

day.

Looking back

to remember

the feelings

of sadness.

Feelings of

not understanding

and confusion.

Another year

of

remembering

our brave

HEROES.

Our heroes

are the brave

men and women

who gave

their lives

for us on

that September

day.

All of them.

In New York City.

All of them.

In Washington D.C.

All of them.

In a Pennsylvania field.

Our heroes.

THEN AND FOREVER!!
Forever Nine/Eleven

by Cate Hutchison

Families always remember,

Especially in September.

Nobody gets forgotten.

Especially in September.

Firemen and police,

Remember fallen friends.

Respect in September.

Respect throughout the year.

Friends always remember,

Especially in September.

Especially in September.

Forever nine/eleven.

Families unite together,

Especially to remember.

Especially in September.

Loved ones who are gone,

Loved ones who were lost.

Everyone always remembers,

Especially in September,

FOREVER NINE/ELEVEN!