It has already been six years of remembrance, have you already forgotten?

I woke up Tuesday morning asking myself “Would today be like any ordinary day or would today be different? I turned on the television and watched CNN. The news media, our government, and people across our nation took a moment of silence to honor the lives lost on September 11, and to remember our heroes for that day. As I stepped outside, I thought to myself, “Would people around me honor this day?”

To my expectations, Tuesday was a typical normal day. People believe that what had happened miles away and six years ago doesn’t matter. People have moved on and have moved past that day of tragedy to completely forget that what had happened on September 11 was to be forgotten. I thought “we will never forget” or is it will we forget?

Last year I spent part of my summer vacation in New York city. It was the five year anniversary of September 11. I roamed the streets of New York city, not as a tourist (well, maybe just a little), but as a “New Yorker”. I rode the city busses from one area to the next, traveled on the subway, and experienced walking around the city. Adjusting to the fast-paced life of New York was somewhat difficult, but in a couple of days, I was used to it.

I remember sitting on the bus and eavesdropping on a conversation between a history professor and an elderly man. After the elderly man had realized he was talking to a history professor, he began talking about September 11. He recapped how he felt that day and noticed how everyone around him felt exactly the same way he did. They were all scared. “It’s so sad” he said “so sad.” I’m not certain why he decided to bring up September 11, but hearing his experiences about that day had brought tears to my eyes. Maybe he was looking for answers of why it had happened and he hoped that by talking to a history professor, he would get his answers, but he didn’t.

Peoples view about September 11 is different in the east coast than in the west. Maybe people on the west coast tend to easily forget about September 11 because since it was thousands of miles away, it didn’t impact their lives.

I cried on September 11, 2001. I cried for the innocent lives lost that day, I cried because it was a sudden shock, and I cried because I was scared. Most of all, I cried because I understood what my U.S. history teacher had told me what the advantage is of living in America. Some of my classmates said that the advantage of living in America is having a huge and powerful military, a good economy, and plenty of job opportunity. Yet, my teacher questioned us of the benefit of a good military. We think having a good military provides defense. My teacher finally told us the main advantage about living in America is safety. We never have to worry about attacks on our country or sleep at night wondering whether a missile would explode into our bedrooms. In other countries, people fear themselves to sleep and wonder if tonight will be their last day on Earth. A dead silence fills the classroom. The realization of being safe in America is what we never thought as an advantage because we’re so used to being safe. We were all quiet because we have taken it for granted.

September 11, 2001 was indeed something I will never forget. Safety, the most important thing our government tries to provide us with everyday has been overlooked by Americans; but, maybe people forget about September 11 because it was just too horrible to remember. People want to forget their sufferings and move on with their lives. As for me, I will never forget that day. September 11 will not only be a day of remembrance but to me, it will be a symbol. A symbol because it was the first time I realized that living in America isn’t as safe as I thought it would be.