9-11-01, 10 years later.

I'm not the type of person to write about current events or politics, but this day has a level of significance that cannot be avoided. September 11th is that moment for our generation.

Throughout school they would always teach us about these moments that change history, such as JFK's assassination, but I never assumed there would be a moment like that for my generation.

I distinctly remember September 11, 2001. My dad woke me up before he left for work and, in my hazy half-awakeness, he told me that a plane crashed into one of the Twin Towers. In reality, I had no idea what the Twin Towers were, but I went in the family room and turned on the news. I was confused as to what was happening. Was this some sort of pilot error?

I sat watching the morning news, and then turned away for some reason, and turned back on the screen and a second plane had hit the other tower. Part of me is upset that I was not watching the news and seeing the second plane, but another part of me is thankful I don't live with that memory. I know they replayed the crashes on the news, but I don't think I ever watch the actual impact, so thankfully that image is not in my mind.

Despite the chaos of that morning, I proceeded to get ready for school. I sat back down to watch the news, and the first tower began to collapse. I, along with the rest of the nation, knew at that moment that this was a significant event.

My mom dropped me off at school and, of course, the conversations at school that day focused on only one thing. There were announcements over the loudspeakers to not turn on the T.V.'s in the classrooms, but that didn't stop anyone. We spent that day watching the news reports of what had taken place that morning. Instead of studying history in class, we were watching history be created.

I have spent the last 10 years coming to understand how significant one moment can be in history, and how that one moment can define a generation. September 11th was the biggest terrorist attack on the U.S., killed thousands, and sent our country into war. Not only did I watch a defining moment in history, I saw a war begin, I have watches news reports of the deaths of soldiers.

I woke up that morning, ten years ago, worried about Spanish class and getting homework done, I had no idea that it would be a day so significant in history.

While I am thankful that no one I knew was hurt or killed on that day, I know thousands of other families suffered severely. It is a day that will live in history, but a part of me wishes it is a day that we never had to deal with.

Here's to hoping that September 11th, 2011, 10 years after such a tragic day, can be a reminder to our country to unite and have pride in what we can achieve and how well we can work together. :-)