Huh. This year is Sept. 11. It Isn't 9-11.

I have had a luncheon scheduled with former college classmates this Wednesday, which is Sept. 11. Didn't raise any awareness whatever. Huh.

When I realized today, I thought it might be because it didn't happen here. Kennedy was assassinated here. I took a guess. Nov. 23? No, Nov. 22. I remember everything about that day, just as I do Sept. 11. I am glad the date is fading in my memory and only the events remain. Dec. 7 is a National Day, so we cannot ever forget it. That is okay. I wasn't even born yet. It was the first time our country has been attacked.

I will never forget the day, and when you call it 911, I will never forget the date. But Sept. 11 has become benign again for me. Probably never in New York. Kennedy's death reasonated with me for years after the date faded for the rest of you. I was living in Dallas at the time.

Contrary to history classes--which, with a few great teachers, interested me in our past--I don't think the exact dates are that important.

I think it is more what we learned from the events of the day.


After the towers fell, our personal family became more careful of one another, more in touch. I don't think that has changed. It is a good change.I care, I remember. And I have let go of the terrible fear. And that is why, when I was invited to lunch Wednesday, I never thought a thing of it. I have cancelled, for a training on mentoring school kids behind in reading. Now isn't that a great reason?We will never forget the loss, the attack, our pain. But we can go beyond our sorrow to build new lives, new memories, build a stronger community.

I think that's a win.