The Post 9/11 Jigsaw Puzzle

It was seven years ago today that our world drastically changed.  That statement is especially true of our military and their families. 

Lordy, Precious..am I not the Queen of Understatement?

To be sure, the anger that I felt seven years ago bubbles back up to the surface.  That anger does rise up when bad things happen but every year on this day, I am angry.  Horribly, terribly angry.

The sorrow I felt that day comes back very clearly as the names of those we lost are read, moments of silence are observed and footage of that day's events are played.  There is no amount of Visine that will fix my eyes today.  They have been red on this day for the past seven years.  So be it.  There is no shame in that. 

What this day also does is renew my determination not to be defeated by those events.  I am an American, a military spouse and a military mom.  I will not be broken.  Bruised, yes.   Broken, no.

I always think of the weeks and months after 9/11 as a huge jigsaw puzzle.  At that time, I was trying to figure out how I fit in this new reality.  Others were as well.

Patti Patton Bader became a corner piece of the puzzle.   Without her trying to find her place in this new world, we would not have Soldiers' Angels.

A little bit later, we would have Marine wives Karen Guenther, Wendy Lethin and others find that they were a corner piece when they created Injured Marine Semper Fi fund.

And very soon after that, G-Bear found that she too was a corner piece when she founded Sew Much  Comfort.

So many others did the same soul searching to see where they fit in that puzzle.  Click the link and see just how many people have created organizations in an attempt to find their place in this world. 

We didn't choose this post 9/11 reality and regardless of your opinion of our actions in the aftermath,   I think we are all pieces of the same big puzzle.  That suits me.  Corner piece or inside piece, we're all needed to complete the puzzle.  We all have our place and our job to do..whatever that might be.

We will always remember 9/11.  It has, in very large part, made us who we are today.

 

Comments

[Cassandra]

I like it, Semper Fi Wife!

Adapt, adjust, and overcome. That's what we do. It's the American way, not feeling sorry for ourselves and whining about everything that isn't perfect in our lives.

Even with this, we have it so much better than our mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers. I think that's the piece that keeps getting lost in all our affluence and comfort: the upward trajectory of our lives. So much so that every little bump in the road now seems like a looming chasm.

You guys rock :)

[Grizzley]

A great deal of the younger troops are in the military because of 9-1-1, it was the right thing to do, they felt it was their duty. The cowards from 9-1-1 are far over shadowed by the everyday HERO's before and since and still to come. As hard as it is too watch, those images need to be shown daily for those few who forget or chose to look elsewhere. Our HERO's come in every shape, size, sex, color but all come with a heart and soul that can not be beaten down, all we need to remember is we are AMERICAN's, SEMPER FI is a motto for all America, Sometimes God doesn't give you choices, we have to run with it and use the common sense he's given you. Semper Fi, Grizz

[Mother of Semper Fi Wife]

Well said, daughter. I am so proud to be a grandmother of a Marine and a mother-in-law of a Marine. I am so proud to be a wife of a retired A.F. officer. I am so proud to be a citizen of the greatest country in the world. On this day, I am so proud of the resiliancy of the American people seven years ago. Yes, we cried together on that day but we stood together and said you can knock us down but you can't keep us down--we are Americans!!!

[FbL]

Awesome, insightful post!

You wrote, "It has, in very large part, made us who we are today."

I didn't understand that completely until yesterday, but that is so true.

[LAffepredele]

[url=http://www.jshaa.org/]Lexapro Drugs[/url] Lexapro is a very common drug used for treating major depression. [url=http://www.clevelandcubs.com/]Xanax Overnight Delivery[/url] Any of these signs should be followed by seeking immediate medical attention, which should also be sought in the case of signs of jaundice where the skin or eyes may start to yellow. [url=http://www.cngconex.com/]Buy Sildenafil Online[/url] Congenital structure abnormalit

[Orarpreecejed]

zeljko joksimovic ledja o ledja mp3 @ [url=http://musicxclusive.net/artist-lutnahimat-89514-page1/]Lutnahimat mp3[/url] ; baaghi mp3 @ [url=http://musicxclusive.net/artist-nyke-nitti-aka-nyke-loc-164039-page1/]Nyke Nitti aka Nyke Loc[/url] ! free portishead mp3 * [url=http://musicxclusive.net/artist-keith-halligan-126383-page1/]Keith Halligan mp3[/url] . chrno crusade mp3 downloads , [url=http://musicxclusive.net/artist-spase-sine-110962-page1/]download