Someday We Will Tell Him...

Someday we will tell him why this day is important. We will tell him about the people who went to work one day and died just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. We will tell him about the police officers and firefighters who went running in while everyone else was running out. We will tell him about the heroes who gave their lives to help strangers.

Someday we will tell him that Mama worked in t.v. back then and talked to congressmen as they were being evacuated from the capitol. We will tell him that there was a lot of work to do in the newsroom and no time for tears even though we were all scared. We will tell him that Mama's coworkers will always be some of her closest friends because of what happened on that day. We will tell him that his Grandpa Mark was in the hospital that night and Mama talked to him on the phone for a long time when she couldn't sleep. We will tell him how quiet it was for a few days when no planes were allowed to fly.

Someday we will tell him how the world was different in the days after 9/11. We will tell him how people from different faiths all came together for candlelight prayer vigils. We will tell him about the flag pins, and the fundraisers, and how the people of East Tennessee raised enough money to buy the Freedom Engine, to replace a ladder truck that was crushed by debris.

Someday we will tell him that a few weeks later our country went to war. We will tell him that brave men and women left their families to go protect our freedom. We will tell him that some of those brave soldiers didn't get to come home. We will tell him that the ones who did come home were thanked and hugged by strangers in the airport. We will tell him about the yellow ribbons and the care packages and the parades.

Someday we will tell him all of these things, but not today. Today we will cuddle him a little closer, and give him a few more kisses. Today we will be thankful for his smile and his laughter. Today we will pray for the wisdom to raise our little boy in this scary world.

Someday we will tell him to never forget.