Proud to be an American {15 years after 9/11/01}

If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I’d worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.

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I’d thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.

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And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

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And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

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From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.

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From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there’s pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.

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That I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

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And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

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And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

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And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

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I was working at Coca-Cola on the unfathomable day that forever changed us as a country. I gathered with friends and coworkers and watched the horror unfold over a fuzzy tv in a conference room in the “USA building”. The shining light in all of it was how we came together as a nation, putting differences aside. Strangers helped strangers and our police and fire fighters and first responders and just average people on the street risked everything to save a life that day.

This is the first year that we have broached the subject of 9/11 with John, at almost 11.  His teacher sent a note out on Friday saying that she would be reading something about it to the class tomorrow.  I feel fortunate that he’s gone all these years not knowing, but felt inadequate on how to explain those horrific events.  Yesterday I purchased 9/11: Stories in Fragments (only $1.99 in SD and $2.99 in HD on Amazon) and previewed it before showing it to him.  It is made by the Smithsonian and turned out to be a wonderful tribute to the events that forever changed our nation.

How do you grasp an event as enormous as September 11? At the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, you start small: A briefcase, a Blackberry, a victim’s sweatshirt, and a hero’s nametag. Simple objects that tell personal stories, recounted in the donors’ own words. Stories from New York, the Pentagon and Shanksville, PA remind us that the legacy of 9/11 is not fear – it’s friendship, courage, and ordinary people pushed by extraordinary circumstances. Their stories deserve to be remembered across decades and generations. By telling them, we triumph over tragedy.

Honey and I sat with John this afternoon and watched the hour long film.  It doesn’t shy away from the truth, but presents it in a touching way that made it easier to open the discussion with John.  He thought it was sad, and scary, and had many questions, but we both feel better knowing when he hears about it tomorrow, and for many years to come, that he heard about it first with us.  We talked a little about the awful terrorists that committed this unfathomable act, but focused more on the helpers and heroes of that day and the ways that it changed America forever.

While I wish my children would never need to know of such tragedy, I know it is my responsibility to share the stories of that day.  By doing so, I can at least find a little comfort knowing that I am presenting 9/11/01 as a story of triumph over tragedy, friendship over differences, bravery over fear, and patriotism over terrorism.

I will never forget.

I’m proud to be an American.

God bless the USA.

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Proud to be an American by Lee Greenwood

 9/11: Stories in Fragments *affiliate link used*

DIXIE DELIGHTS DELIVERED

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11 thoughts on “Proud to be an American {15 years after 9/11/01}

  1. Tears! Loved this post.
    My mom is an American Airlines flight attendant — she flew from Boston to Washington DC that morning, eerily close to the same timeline as the hijackers. Stuck at the gate in the cockpit of her plane because of the events in New York, she saw the plane descend toward the Pentagon, though at the time she didn’t know where it crashed since it disappeared behind other buildings. I’ve never been so scared, and hated the idea of her going to work after that. She’s now 72, and has YET to retire. :).

  2. What a beautiful tribute!! On Friday our school’s fourth and fifth grades stood along the sidewalk in front of our school at the exact time the first plane hit. They waved flags and held homemade poster boards that had “We Love America” written on them. Our school has done this for the past fourteen years. The outpouring of love and support from the cars passing by is overwhelming and we are always in the newspaper and all over facebook and instagram. We are not ashamed to show our love for our country. “God Bless the USA”!!!

  3. Thank you so much! This was such a beautiful post. Thank you for sharing your beautiful family. May God bless America and may America honor God.

  4. Once more, God Bless the USA. Proud American here–are we perfect–no–Are we the best–YES!! Thank you for your post, and loving your child enough to teach them the good that came from that day. We have shown in the past that we can “come together” in our great country-my prayer is that we can do that once again!

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