How We Remember

Today is September 11th. In the United States, this is a day when we remember a great tragedy that hit our country. Nearly 3,000 people died on this day in 2001. I remember the events well, where I was, what I was doing and who I was with.

Although we only had one child at the time of this horrible event, we feel it is very important for our children to know what happened and remember this day. Children of different ages know different things about the days events, with the older children having actually watched the news coverage from the day and seen the events unfold before their eyes. However, we don't need our children to relive the events each year, no need to dwell on the negative.

We choose to remember this day in a more positive way. We choose to remember that everyday police, firefighters and emergency workers put their lives in danger to keep us safe. Although the emergency personnel in our area might never have been in New York, they are brave and making sacrifices just the same. So, each 9-11 our family makes cards and bakes treats for the emergency workers in our community. It is nothing fancy, just some heartfelt creations from a family and their children.

Each year after we make the treats we personally deliver them to our local centers. In our current community we have one fire house and one police station, so we have also started taking treats to our emergency room workers. (Other communities that we have lived in have had several fire houses and so we just took treats to all of the houses and did not include the police or hospital workers, whatever works best for our family and for our town.) With each delivery we say "Thank You" and wish them a great day. Sometimes we take a tour, sometimes we just move on to the next delivery.

Although this is a really simple thing to do with the children, it is something they look forward to and talk about for weeks. I let them decide what types of cakes, how they should be decorated and which one goes where. It is truly a fun day that helps us remember those that serve our community all year round.

Let me encourage you to think of ways that you can help your children understand the importance of remembering those that sacrifice for us each and everyday. May God truly bless your family and may His arms completely engulf those who lost someone on this day in 2001.