I was taking the train from Baltimore to DC, making my way back to the airport after attending the wedding of a good friend from grad school. It was one of those weddings of one of those friends that makes you believe that good things are still possible in the world, that finding a fantastic, self-respecting person who shares similar values is still possible. Do you have any of those friends who you feel lucky to call your friends? People who are just so wonderful and amazing that you feel fortunate to have been a part of their lives, even if just for a little while? Well I got to see four of those people this weekend. And it was pretty great.
As the Metro stopped at the Pentagon station, it occurred to me that the last time I was in DC was in October of 2011 for the Marine Corps Marathon. Running the marathon throughout our nation's capital after one of the worst tragedies in America's history is something I won't soon forget. We ran through the city streets, past one iconic monument and then the next until we made our way to the Pentagon. Only a month and a half before, an airplane had crashed into the building. And here we were, running laps around it in an effort to reach the 26.2 miles we committed to. The image of the Pentagon with a gaping hole in it is something that will be forever burned into my brain.
I have remembered September 11 in various ways since that day...through visiting Ground Zero when I lived in New York to performing community service during my last three years in AmeriCorps. This year, I am working at a camp for people with special needs, where time stands still and national holidays don't mean much more than a date listed on a calendar. How are you going to remember?
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