On September 11, 2001
I was in first grade in Western Massachusetts.
When you're six years old, you typically think the world is a good place. You think that the wars are all over 100 years ago. You never expect your teacher to turn off the lights on a September morning and ask you to stand up and be silent, and pledge the flag. You never expect to hear an announcement over the loudspeaker about normal planes---ones that you could take if you went on vacation---crashing into unbelievably tall, strong buildings that are filled with people who never did anything wrong. When you're six years old you can't fathom even imagining being trapped in the top floors of the world trade center having a decision to either burn to death, or jump 103 stories out of a window to your death. When you're a little kid you can't imagine being on a seemingly safe plane, and then barreling straight into a large building like the world trade center, or the pentagon. You can't imagine ever having the courage enough to fight the people who are jacking your plane in order to hit the White House, knowing that you are going to die, and crash in Pennsylvania. Strength like the heroes of 9/11 is hard to obtain. In AP English class on Friday, my teacher showed us a variety of sad pictures from that fateful day. One of them was of people in the World Trade Center lining up on the stairs on their way out of the building to live. Yet, there was one person headed up the stairs. He was a New York City firefighter, headed up the stairs to save the lives of innocent people. Bravery like that is hard to come by.
So, if you read this whole thing, thank you. I'd like to just ask you one more thing.
Close your eyes for a moment, and remember those people who risked their lives for others, and those innocent Americans who lost their lives ten years ago today. Remember that, though these people were all different nationalities, from different walks of life, and different religions, they were all Americans like you and I. May they rest in peace. May they never be forgotten.
Let's give them the entire top quotes page.