Who doesn’t know what today is? Everyone knows. Everyone has been talking about it for days . . . weeks . . . months. Today is the one-year anniversary of what has been dubbed “Nine-Eleven”.
It’s an emotional day for a lot of people; myself included. I am not, however, the type of person who wants to share this emotion with other people. Like so many others, I realize the importance of today, but I don’t want to relive it. I don’t want to dwell on all of the tragedies, and I don’t want to talk about it all day.
Unfortunately, as a teacher, I have little choice in the matter. For this, I am not happy. I realize the sacrifices that a teacher must make (and other professions, too), but this was just one that I was fighting against. I didn’t want to share my very personal pain with a lot of people. I know that many teachers are incorporating this day into their daily lessons, but I chose not to do that.
I’m not a cold-hearted person. Quite the contrary. I feel so deeply for all who lost someone one year ago. I weep for those whose lives were so viciously and thoughtlessly taken. I shake my head at such vehement hate for our country and its people.
I don’t even mind the katrillion shows that are on commemorating 9-11. I just won’t be watching them. (Okay, I’ll be watching one because Josh Groban is singing on NBC’s “Concert for America”, and I want to see him sing.) Everything is beautiful, I’m sure, and very touching. It just makes me want to cry all over again. I didn’t lose anyone that day. No one who directly touches my life was killed. I felt it very deeply, though, as many Americans who didn’t lose a friend or family member did. Therefore, it’s the same kind of pain over and over again – grief for the thousands of people who died and their friends and family who must now live on without them. It hurts. I don’t want to hurt. I want to move on.
This day will be remembered forever, though, and it should be. I love living in this country. 9-11 humbled us all, and more importantly, it reminded us to love those around us. I hope that it what lives on.
Although I didn’t do anything with my class, we had a very nice ceremony after the morning bell as a whole school. We all lined up out on the playground (where we normally do on Fridays for the flag salute). There was no flag flying on the pole this morning. Three Marines were standing at attention. The kids were lined up and as quiet as they could be. Even thinking back to it this morning, I am having a hard time recalling the order of events.
I didn’t want to do this today. I didn’t want to share my emotions. I had been a bit teary-eyed already after reading some headlines, so I knew that this ceremony would make me cry. I balked, and I fought it the whole way. But, I didn’t have a choice so I went out with my students.
The principal, Mr. B, gave the three Marines their order to “walk on the colors.” (Is that right? I’m not sure.) They did their little marching and turning then walked to the flag. While they did this, the principal played “The Star Spangled Banner” on his trumpet. It was very touching. The Marines placed the flag on the line and lifted it all the way up before letting it down to half-mass. Then they returned to where they started. We were then lead through the national anthem.
As suggested by the staff at our last staff meeting, Mr. B read a little something that had been sent out by the President of the United States. It was all very emotional, and I was trying my hardest to hold back my tears. I had a tissue just in case, though! At the end of the speech, an extremely large flag was let unfurled from the roof of the school, three men holding it in place. It had a nice dramatic effect. One of the last elements of the ceremony was one of our eighth graders singing “America the Beautiful”. We were then dismissed to our classes.
It was a completely lovely ceremony. I’m glad that it was done. The students seemed to enjoy it, too. I am not afraid to admit that I was a little glad to be sending my kids to P.E. directly after that, though.
We’ll remember “Nine-Eleven” forever. How could we not?
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