September 11

Photo credit: National Geographic

This week we told the girls a little about September 11, 2001. 

We shared the atrocities... that terrorists flew planes into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon... that everyone aboard those planes died... that people in the floors above the point of impact died... that many others were wounded and injured.... we looked images of the towers and talked about what it was like to watch them fall. We shared that the mastermind behind the attacks was located and killed by the Central Intelligence Agency a couple of years ago. 

They asked if Osama Bin Laden is in hell. 

We didn't share other details... like the brave passengers who overtook the terrorists whose plane crashed (While that is such an important aspect of the 9-11 recollection, we felt it would be too hard to comprehend at this time, especially when considering that the plane would have otherwise been shot down before striking its intended target.)...  That police and firemen were killed after bravely charging into the towers... That some (estimated at 200) of the occupants of the Twin Towers plunged to their deaths -- an awful and unthinkable choice made only when facing flames.

My niece (the famous Lexie) was in first grade in 2001.  She and her fellow students were asked to draw a picture to express their feelings during that fateful week.  She drew a picture of two towers and someone jumping from the top. 

We told them where we were when we learned of the attacks.  We told them that our country was at war for a very long time and works constantly to prevent future attacks.  We talked in general terms about bad people and hatred. 

Today, we remember.