5 years ago today

there are so many things I remember about 5 years ago today. I remember the room I was sitting in when the PA system came on. I remember sitting in World History and listening to my teacher try to explain to 15 year olds what was going on. I remember finding Amar in the hallway and just crying because I was so scared. I remember school being cancelled and spending the entire day watching the news. I remember trying to understand what Americans had done so wrong that would lead others to want to do this to us. I remember aching. I remember wishing, wishing that the world was not such a cruel place.

As I sit here remembering I am grateful for the memories of that day that I hold. I am grateful that I have never forgotten. I am grateful for the thousands who have valiently given their lives, or have sacrificed time with their families and loved ones to serve this great nation. I am grateful to live in America, where I know that I am free to worship how I wish. I am grateful to live in a place where I am not worried day to day what I will see or what will happen on my street. I am grateful that I am an American.

I love being at BYU. I love that prayers can be said in the classroom. I had the priveledge of saying the prayer in my family finance class today. As I prayed tears came to my eyes as I expressed gratitude for the thousands of soldiers who are currently sacrificing so that I might be free & safe. I want Tom & Erin to know how much I truly appreciate the sacfrice that they make each and every day. I know it is not easy being an"army wife" but Erin does great at it. I can not think of anyone I would rather have protecting my freedom than Tom; he is amazing. Thank you.

I wonder what I will feel 5 years from now. When that junior english classroom is not quite so vivid in my memory. I wonder what feelings I will remember. I hope I remember it all, it helps remind me of what is truly important: my religion & my family. Those two are the essentials, everything else are extra blessings that I have been given & that I am so grateful for.