Where were you?

Seven years ago. . .

It was a Tuesday. I was lying in my bed listening to the radio station, debating whether or not I wanted to go to class that day. All of a sudden the song cuts out and the morning show DJ says: "We just got a call from a listener that said an air plane has just crashed into the Word Trade Center. Please stay with us as we try to verify the details." I immediately shot up in bed and started thinking 'Oh my gosh! If there's any truth to it, it will be on CNN.'

I ran upstairs to our living room and turned on the TV. And there was the live footage. I couldn't believe my eyes. Smoke was coming from the North Tower. As I was struggling to make sense of what was going on, I saw the second airplane crash into the South Tower. I couldn't believe what I was seeing; I could feel the tears start to swell up.

My roommates are amazed at me being up and seeing me glued to the TV. I hear them asking me questions, but I ignore them hoping that they will just glance at the TV to see what's happening. I'm frozen, still trying to make sense of what I'm seeing. The next thing I see are the towers crashing and people running in fear. I'm no longer able to hold back the tears. Why is this happening? Who would do this? Why? Why?? Why???

After watching live footage for what seemed like forever, I finally peel myself away from the TV and head to campus. The feeling on the BYU-Idaho campus that day was one that I will never forget. It was so somber. As you walked on campus, it was so eerily quiet. No smiles. No laughter. You could feel there was a sense of loss that day. You knew that no matter our circumstances, we were all changed that day.

The President gave an address that night and I listened. He said that those these horrible acts may have shattered the steels of the those buildings, but "they cannot dent the steel of American resolve." We as a nation united that day. Policemen and Firefighters became super heroes. Young men made the decision to put their life on hold and rise to the special calling of defending the freedom of our nation. My freedom. Your freedom.

That week on campus it was homecoming. One of the last homecomings for the school but instead of celebrating with the big razzle dazzle it was filled with moments of silence and the singing of the song "(I'm proud to be an American) God Bless the USA." As we sang that song, it brought on a sense of pride, one that I had never felt before. The chorus of that song, took on a special meaning that week:

"And I'm proud to be an American,

where at least I know I'm free.

And I won't forget the men who died,

and gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up! next to you

and defend her still today.

'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,

God bless the USA!"

I was changed that day. From that day forward, I cry every time our flag is raised and our National Anthem sung. I'm not going to stand here and say whether the war is a good thing or a bad thing, but all I know is that these men are defending my freedom. On this day, I would ask that we don't criticize our President's decision to send our men off to war, but that we stand beside them as they put their lives in danger to defend our very freedom and help rebuild a nation.