National Day of Service and Rememberance

Today was a day filled with gratitude while driving around and seeing our nation's flag out in abundance, especially the neighborhoods that line their streets with the waving Stars and Stripes.  When September 11th rolls around, I think we all reflect on that dreadful day in 2001.  We each recall where we were and what we were doing, and what we did after realizing the enormity of it all.  I, personally, was getting the kids ready for school and would be leaving soon.  We never made it to the school.  I wanted our little family to stay together that day.  I hung my flag, as did most of our citizens.  I prayed.  I cried.

My parents, especially my dad, instilled in me a deep love and reverent respect for The United States of America, our flag, our soldiers, and our Constitution and the freedom it grants us.  They taught me to stand up when the flag entered/retired or the National Anthem was played, to put my hand on my heart, and to always honor everything that allows me to live in freedom.  As I've gotten older, my understanding of it all has broadened, and I no longer have to be reminded, but am now reminding the next generation.  I have taught my own children and many, many scouts these same ideals, and hope that they will always protect these sacred symbols, their own freedom and others', and seek to understand what that means.

This day is about remembering those who died because others do not agree with our way of life and see freedom as a threat.  It is about remembering what hate and power can do.  It is about remembering the strength we are as a nation as we reflect on how we came together to comfort our neighbor and stand tall in the world.  It is about remembering the brave citizen heroes of a flight that said, "You will not," and prevented the loss of additional large numbers of people, sacrificing their own lives to protect someone they could not see and did not know other than as a fellow American.  It is about the men and women who said their last goodbye to their loved one because they would not leave a co-worker alone.  It is about the first-responders who ran toward instead of away.

It isn't enough to just remember, we must take our wisdom (whatever it may be for each individual) and act.  The other part of today is service.  Everyone can serve, even the very young.  Serving each other isn't very hard or complicated.  Giving our time to a family member, a neighbor, our community, our country elevates us.  We are lifted personally and as a nation.  I think everyone would agree that this nation could use an elevation change...a really big Mt. Everest change.  It also allows that feeling of being in this together to take root and grow, something else this country needs...a great big giant dose of it.

My hope is that we each do something for someone today.  Remember that we, as Americans, are extremely blessed...blessed beyond so many other nations.  In the New Testament it reads, "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." (Luke 12:48).  We have tremendously been given (blessed) and are required to give back.  The second part...this country's military and their families (past and present), and those whose lives we remember this day, committed a great deal for us.  All they ask is that we keep this country free and strong with our own actions.  We owe this to them.  We should honor this.  We should expect this from each generation, each person in our country.

Remember, and then go and do!