September 11... 12

As I rode to work yesterday, seeing all of the flags at halfmast - I, along with most of the US, remembered where I was when I realized that we had been attacked 6 years ago. I asked Ronnie what his story was. It was one of those days... We all know where we were when it happened. Those days don't come often. The only other one I can remember as I type this was the day the Challenger exploded..(I was in 1st grade for that one). Anyway, Sunday, while at church, we had a moment of prayer for the families of the people whose loved ones were involved on the day that will always be marked in our mind. We also prayed for the troops that are currently paying the price for defending after that day. While many in comfortable chairs will criticize the decision to fight. I, as a supporting sister of a man about to go and offer his life for our country, would like to remind those in the air conditioning... not ONE of the troops currently serving in Iraq were surprised by the call to go. It has been 6 years. Everyone that is currently offering their life for our country either enlisted, or re-enlisted since we have been at war. My brother says he couldn't have lived without doing it. He felt the call to serve. I do not understand how people, who haven't been there, can sit back and criticize others for answering the call. Do we remember the feeling of uncertainty that happened on that fateful day? At the risk of repeating what millions have said... I was miles away from NYC and D.C. that day - and honestly, felt no immediate danger for my life or the lives of my family, and yet, at the same time, I knew that an action needed to be taken. That action has been taken - for 6 years. We are still fighting. The results of that action is that the war has stayed out of our own country. We are a generation that does not remember the pain, fear, terror, and sadness that accompanies a war on our soil. After Pearl Harbor, we have kept our battles elsewhere and therefore, we do not know the pain of cities in ruin, homes destroyed, women and children slaughtered in our streets. We only sit, on our leather sofas, and complain about the financial cost of being over there. I venture to say, if we weren't over there, then the money would be spent in efforts to rebuild cities, homes, and lives over here. Lives that currently are quite comfortable would, without our efforts in the Middle East, possibly be destroyed. Our enemy hates us, hates what we stand for, and will not settle to simply be left alone. When we leave them alone, we invite them to attack.
I love my brother - I will miss him terribly. I pray that this does not cost our family indefinately. However, I am more proud of him than I can ever communicate. I am proud of our country, where people from other countries long to be. Where I witnessed 90 new people becoming citizens on July 4. All of them were extatic to be a part of the greatest country on earth.
Anyway, I just felt the need to vent. I may write more later. But for now, I simply say that I am proud to be an American - and am proud to be the sister of a US Soldier.
- Jwm