The Land of the Free and The Home of the Brave....

I've often heard my parents say, "I remember the day that Kennedy was shot." They remember where they were and the aftermath that followed that fateful day. There are people that remember the details the day Lennon was shot, or the Challenger shuttle exploded; I remember the day two planes flew into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon, and one into a field in a small town in Pennsylvania.

It's been seven years and I still recall standing in the teachers' lounge waiting to make copies and hearing someone say "A plane hit the World Trade Center." I remember going to the office and hearing it on the radio. Then I remember asking my mother where my father was. The aftermath of this tragedy lives on, seven years later, as we are still involved in a needless war and as this tragedy is being used by every political pundit trying to win an election. Seven years later, September 11th is the headline on major news venues. Yet what has this horrific thing taught us? Not much.

During those first months, this nation came together as a whole. Black, white, purple...Muslim, Jewish, Catholic....vegetarian, omnivore, carnivore. It didn't matter. We were united as a Nation. A strong nation, asking to Be strong and be One. We reached out to our brothers and sisters and grieved together. Today...we are divided...by race, culture, and political party. Tragedy should have turned us into a stronger, more cohesive United States...hell, United is in our country's name. United we stand, Divided we fall became our motto. But, no.

Perhaps one day. One day people will stop looking at the color of the skin, the clothes one wears, and the God one prays to. I work in an environment where I have the great responsibilty to shape and educate the minds of the youth. Perhap, one day, they will see the world as others wished it to be. Full of peace, love, and understanding.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. ~ Martin Luther King Jr.


I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent. ~ Ghandi

Interesting Read:

http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/11/spending-seven-septembers-hijacking-my-religion-back/#more-8460

"An Another Thing"

I really am a lucky girl. My birthday celebrations extended well past the designated day and I celebrated in style through this holiday weekend!

Friday I had the great fortune of driving two hours in the rain to Charm City Cakes to pick up more cake tastings for Maggie's wedding. I stood in the doorway of the shop watching the goings on while Mary Alice searched high and low for the cakes; luckily finding them. It really is a fascinating thing to watch from the inside something that is so easily watched on the outside in the comfort of my own home. And there is no way to capture the smell of a bakery like the smell of Charm City Cakes-to quote Lindsey "It smells like diabetes!" That smell of sugar is so intoxicatingly sweet! So, I quickly grabbed up those samples of cake and brought them home to enjoy my "birthday" cake with Lindsey. And here is the aftermath!

Saturday, I celebrated my birthday with what may come to be tradition, crabs! My sisters and

I met at Gunnings to eat, drink, and be merry with food and fun. A dozen crabs, some cold beer, and lots of conversation is just what I was looking for. What better way to celebrate that with the company of those I hold dearest. With the three of us living far apart and being busy with work and school and the like, the times we get to spend together are precious and something I look forward to.

Then I took of Sunday for Maggie's in Wilmington. She then surprised me with the idea of a trip to Atlantic City while her fiance was in Montreal. Off we went, to the Borgata in A.C. for some awesome food and not so awesome gambling! Having been a novice at the blackjack table I quickly lost everything, as did Maggie. But the company couldn't have been better and Maggie and I took the opportunity to be in a city of sin to reminisce about college and revert to younger versions of ourselves.

Maggie has been with me through my growing-up years and without her I think I would have had a dull four years of college! We drove home today and I then helped her get decorations ready for her wedding and put together welcome boxes.

Now, I am home and ready to begin the school year, wish me luck!