For Leah: Into the Present

"Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and the longitudes." -Henry David Thoreau

The hum of life passes around him

But he's stuck in the past

Lost in the sea of old faces

And even older places

refusing to let go

of the joy he felt there

At "way back when"

His vision is clouded

with these wild memories

of craziness and happiness and neon

His ears ringing with the sway of palm trees

And the laughter of old friends by a camp fire.

But life goes on

In it's monotone dance

Pulling him forward

Into the present

Clutching the sweetness

of the past

to his fast beating chest

A Short Memory of History Ten Years in the Making

"Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present Generation to preserver your Freedom! I hope you will make good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven, that I ever took half the Pains to preserve it."- John Adams

The different ways in which we express our freedom: the American Flag wrapped around her like a beach towel, a comforting hug. Others wear it as their armour, their lifeline. Still others wear it as the burning memory upon their chest of the thousands who died on this very day ten years ago.

I was old enough to remember, but young enough not to fully understand the hysteria the country around me felt. I remember getting dropped off in front of my elementary school that morning with the knowledge, or more the sense, the sense that something was terribly, terribly wrong. But I looked up at the bright blue sky and rushed inside anyway. A little scared. I think I was a little scared. I had, after all, heard the words my parents were saying while I ate my breakfast.

I remember the day that I awoke to a teary-eyed mother. I immediately panicked. Who died? was what I thought. But as I ate my pancakes (or some other breakfast item) sitting in the same chair I had been ten years earlier, my mother informed me that the CIA had found Osama Bin Laden and that the Navy SEALs had killed him. We ran into the living room to watch the story be confirmed on the news. I shouted for joy. Yes! I jumped around a little. HISTORY! I screamed. I was very excited about that part.

This is a day that always hits the heartstrings for me. It always seems so real. Like it wasn't ten years ago, but twelve hours ago.

I'd like to say thank you to all of the firemen who were at the Twin Towers, that day. And especially to those who lost their lives. I salute you! God Bless America!