Remembrance

 It's Tuesday - time for a rather somber Slice of Life today. Join others who slice each week, hosted by Two Writing Teachers.

Today I'm sharing a piece my principal asked me to write for our September 11th assembly. We keep it simple and brief - as elementary age students don't really have the background to really be as impacted by this date as the adults in the building. I wrote it last week, and cried as I remembered the events of that morning. Three of my students will be reading this at our service today... 


Today we take a moment to remember a difficult day in the history of our nation. On this date, eleven years ago, terrorists tried to crush our spirit. They thought that crashing into two towers in New York City would destroy us. They thought attacking the Pentagon would terrify us. They wanted to make us feel powerless.

We lost many lives as the towers fell. As a nation, we need to remember them. We must also remember those who lost family and friends. It is just as important, though, to remember how we came together as a nation that day. Our firefighters, police, and rescue workers risked their lives. Ordinary people became heroes. Our nation came together in a way that showed that we can behave like a family. In this way, we showed that we are far from weak – far from powerless. United, we are strong.

Most of the students gathered here today had not even been born on this date eleven years ago. Yet we live in a nation that remembers the victims. A nation that honors the men and women who were heroes that day. We live in a nation that must always remember to reach out a hand to those who are beside us in friendship and support. United, we are strong.

Please join us in a moment of silence.