I am sure there are going to be literally thousands upon thousands of blog posts today about 9/11.

It’s taken me a full day just to figure out how I want to approach this subject.

Eight years ago and I still remember every single thing that happened that day.

Yet, I can barely remember what I ate for lunch last Tuesday.

My grandparents had Pearl Harbor, my parents had the assassination of JFK, we have 9/11.

On 9/11/2001, Sean was a senior in high school, Matt a sophomore, Emily just 10 months old. On 9/11, I remember Doug calling me from his office to say that ‘they’ thought a plane flew into one of the Twin Towers.

I remember getting on the phone and calling my colleague, Walter, who worked at Smith Barney asking him if he knew anything. His voice was frantic as he told me that his wife worked across the street from the World Trade Center and he had to go and make sure she was o.k.

In case you didn’t know, I am from New York… born and raised on Long Island. Even though I haven’t lived there in nearly 30 years, it’s still my hometown.

I had many friends and colleagues in lower Manhattan from my years working in financial services…. at places like Smith Barney, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley and….Cantor Fitzgerald.

Some of them never made it home that day.

I remember frantically trying to call my mom, on Staten Island, asking if she’d heard from Angelo, who took the train every day from WTC up to his office at Hearst Magazines. I think it took 3 hours before I could get through to her on the phone.

He had just missed the first plane strike.

I remember him saying he just got into his office, looked downtown and said, “Oh my God, I was just down there.”

I remember my sons calling me from school, at least 3 times asking, “Have you talked to grandma Vicki? Is grandpa o.k.?”

We all sat and watched in horror as our freedoms were attacked on 9/11/01.

I remember eight months later, driving to NY with my son, Matt, and we visited ground zero for the first time. All I could do.. all anybody could do there was cry.

September 11, 2009… Eight years later and my sons are now 20-something deployed soldiers who are fighting for the very freedoms that were attacked on that dreadful day when they were still in high-school.

Emily is now a third-grader and as I watched her practice her very first piano lesson tonight, all I could think was….

‘Thank God for your brothers and all of our soldiers who continue fighting so that you can play here peacefully.”

Eight years later and I haven’t forgotten one minute of that day. Has the rest of our nation and the world?

Yes, sadly I believe many have.

When did it become o.k. for the media to broadcast a picture of a dying Marine, and yet we are supposed to make sure that a terrorist’s supposed ‘rights’ are not infringed upon at GITMO?

When did we forget that WE are the ones who lost nearly 3,000 civilian lives, and yet our brave men and women are fighting over ‘there’, so that we don’t have another 9/11 over here.

As a nation, yes, I feel we have forgotten what is at stake here. It is a sorry state of society when people know more about what happens on American Idol that what our military is fighting for overseas.

It is a sorry state of society when people who don’t ‘get’ the seriousness of how our Constitution is being destroyed before our very eyes.

I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat. However, 9/11 effects every single one of us regardless of our political convictions.

If we, the people, do not stand up for the United States of America and for freedom everywhere, then who will?

If you don’t read any other blog today, please read this one that I am going to give you the link to. This is an Army major that I am following on Twitter and he says exactly what I, and many families feel.

Here’s a small excerpt and then please, go to his blog, “A Major’s Perspective”, to read the rest:

Have we forgotten that almost eight years ago four planes loaded with our fellow citizens were hijacked?

Have we forgotten that three of them were used to destroy the World Trade Center and attack the Pentagon?

Have we forgotten that Todd Beamer and his fellow passengers rallied themselves and saved a fourth attack on DC from happening?

I know that for many of you that is a resounding no, especially those of you who follow the blog. But, for many right now, especially those who are on television trying to discuss current issues, I would say yes, they have forgotten.

If not for “Those wars in Iraq and Afghanistan” how could we look the survivors in the eye.

A Major’s Perspective: September 11 and Have We Forgotten?

My heartfelt prayers continue to go out to all the 9/11 families who lost loved ones that day. My heartfelt gratitude will never end for all those who continue to fight the fight.

May the good Lord keep you all safe, guide you and protect you so that you all come home safely to your families.

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