Never Forgotten

Today marks the 11th year of the tragedy of 9/11.  It is certainly a day that everyone will remember and will (if not already) be in our history books.  I believe most all will remember this day for different reasons and have different feelings regarding this day.  There were horrific losses that day and every day since.  For me and my family the way 9/11 has changed our lives is not because that was the day my son would decide to elitist in the Marine Corps.  In fact, we were living in my sister's house in AR and he was at school and while we talked about the events of that day once we were all home, we didn't make it a huge scary thing in front of him.  He didn't talk about being a Marine that day or anything like that, but it is because of 9/11 that would ultimately change our lives forever.
When Chad decided to enlist into the Marine Corps we were at war.  We were at war because of 9/11 and the events that took place that day at the hands of terrorists.  Because of 9/11, my son lost his life in the line of duty.
I am changed forever for the second time in my life along with the rest of my family and it was at the hands of the Taliban that I lost my only child that day on December 1, 2010.
My heart goes out to those families that lost loved ones on this day 11 years ago and for every life lost since that day whether on American soil or foreign soil.  Regardless where or how, 9/11 has changed and touched the lives of so many Americans and in ways that will never go away.
I don't worry about us as a country ever "forgetting" about 9/11, I worry about us forgetting that there were lives lost and still being lost and forgetting about the patriotism we all felt when we all came together again as a united nation as time continues to move along and our men and women are still at war.
Let's not forget that we are still at war and our children, spouses, loved ones are still very much in danger and losing lives every day.  They are still defending and protecting us from terrorists and making it possible for us to do what we do every day.  Fire Fighters still fight fires and protect us, our police continue to serve and protect us and our military continue to put their lives on the line for us each day.  So while we pause on this day to remember, please wake up tomorrow and keep remembering these men and women continuing to serve and protect us and willing to pay the ultimate price for us.