I’m not going to recount the events of that day that changed Americans’ lives forever.  I’m not going to retell the emotional rolls that catapulted me through a day that I will never forget.  I can’t even begin to pay a tribute to the lives that were lost that day.  Like with my relationship with God, this is something that I just have to have faith in – I simply won’t forget. 

So in memory of Ernest Alikako, Jimmy Audiffred,  Juan Salas, Francis J. Nazario and Frederick Kuo, Jr. and the other 2,991 souls lost that fateful day, the hundreds upon thousands of men and women we’ve lost in the war against terror and their families, I offer this:

My children are being raised with a more profound sense of pride, respect and responsibility because of what happened on September 11th, 2001.  I have renewed my vestment in America, the country which has afforded me life, liberty and justice but most importantly freedom because of what happened on September 11, 2001.  My husband’s daily fight to preserve life and safety has not been forgotten as he drives the fire engine to calls with our American flag waving gloriously above the cab.

I stopped today to remember
    and I remembered last week, too
In fact, I often remember since 9/11/01
    and sometimes stop to do so.

As an American, I had forgotten
    how precious my freedom is.
I have taken for granted
    my inalienable rights.

But when life and liberty
    was taken from my fellow Americans,
I remembered.  It’s a painful
    memory to endure.

I support justice.
    I support liberty.
        I support life.
But most of all, I support freedom
And honor those who have
Reminded me to never stop.
                                       Never Forget 9/11/08
                                       by Kathie Leung (c) 2008