10 Years Later

We haven’t had rain in several weeks here in Minnesota. It’s also been warm and this weekend has been very warm, very summerlike, so the ground is really drying out. I watered my yard, so the grass got just a tinier bit greener.

But the trees are really suffering. Everywhere I go, I see water starved trees with wilting leaves. Some trees are beginning to drop their leaves, even before the color starts coming in.

So our 9/11 ten years later is another beautiful day, although I think warmer than 9/11/01.

Joe and I watched the service televised from New York City. I thought it was a reflective and thoughtful service, interspersed with moments of silence, short speeches from elected officials, and stories from 9/11 family members and survivors, and music, beautiful music.

I watched as the family members were allowed to enter the memorial site and began to search for their 9/11 hero’s name. And when they found it and saw it . . . well, nothing will bring you to your knees as fast as seeing your loved one’s name on a tombstone or a wall or anything for the first time.

I cried at the end when Diane Sawyer met once again with the babies of 9/11, babies born after their fathers were killed. Now they’re 10 years old and so special, these children who grew up without their fathers.

I think 9/11 brings together every little bit of grief I’ve ever suffered and pours it forth in one big gasp.

I made sure I hung my flag out today.

Joe and I drove out to the cemetery later in the morning. On our way there, we saw an American bald eagle flying overhead.

We visited Ray’s and Alice’s graves and then as we were leaving, we saw a family at the grave of a killed in action Iraqi war veteran, surrounding the tombstone with pots of colorful mums. He was a victim of 9/11 as well.

Then the day of remembrance slips into a day of normalcy. I went to older grandson’s baseball game. He’s playing fall ball.

It was a glorious afternoon to watch 12 year olds play baseball. I sat in the sun, soaking up its rays, because who knows when it will be this nice and warm again?

Joe and I are going to fire up the grill one more time and create another summer dinner.

And we won’t forget no matter how normal it seems.