Lost in thought...

On such a day of reflection I find myself focused on my daughter.

I cannot believe how much the world has changed in Eleven years.  I cannot believe how much my own life has changed in that time.

I look at my daughter and want so much to give her the childhood I had, but I cannot.  She is growing up in a world that, although I am living in it with her, I cannot truly comprehend.

I am grateful that she is unaware of the changes and that what I see as burdensome or what I may fear or find stress within, she sees as no big deal; it is every day life.  So much innocence has been lost in just daily living in the past eleven years, but she does not see what she is missing. 

I think of all of the families who lost loved ones on this day and I find myself cherishing the time I have with my little girl.  I probably appreciate it more than I used to while I hurt for those who lost such precious moments all those years ago.

As a people we have picked up.

As a people we are moving on.

As a people we are still healing in so many ways.

But we still fear...

I hope the world she grows up in is better that mine.  I cannot imagine it will be but that is only because I saw a different world as a child.

I know my parents felt this way about raising me during the "cold war" and I guess we turned out okay?

I pray for my child every day. 

Today I am lost in thought over the experience we all shared eleven years ago that helped me realize that I must appreciate more who I have before me and the time I have with them.