remember.

i was 7 years old ten years ago. i don't remember a lot, but i do remember mom watching the news in the morning, watching bits of the news in my class at school, and the news being on at home all evening. i also remember that my mom was on the phone a lot that day.

actually, i remember a lot more than i give myself credit for.

i remember knowing that something was very, very wrong. i remember feeling like every person at my school, in my neighborhood, in my ward, and in my life was a lot more important that day. every American was. i remember not being able to fully understand what exactly was wrong, but crying anyway because so many others were. i remember that some people had more to be afraid for than i did, but still feeling terrified. i remember being proud, so proud, that i lived where i lived. i remember being grateful (although somewhat ashamed for it) that myself and those that i loved were so far away from the east coast. i remember being worried and confused. i remember thinking about movies i had seen and what i had learned about war in school. what i couldn't seem to remember, though, was what came next.

being an American citizen was scary that day.

i think that was the day when i began to understand how very important the president of the United States is.

i thought today about the children of America, and how they will be effected by the attacks of September 11th. thousands were lost that day, and thousands will never understand the impact, the feeling, the magnitude...of experiencing that day in history. it seems weird to me that i will need to explain the importance of today to my own children someday. wow.

no mattter how far, physically, American citizens were from New York City or Pennsylvania, everyone, the entire country, came together and stood, slowly, but with confidence and courage, and together, lifted this country back up to where it stands today. i am extremely proud to live in the United States of America and am so grateful for all the heroes who were strong enough and brave enough to help and rescue and save everyone that they could. i am extremely sorry for those who lost loved ones that day. my prayers go out to them and to America.

i will never forget September Eleventh.

i remember.