6 years ago, on the 2nd anniversary of this tragedy, he went to "Ground Zero". Upon looking at the Towers of Light tht night, he was touched so deeply, he wrote the following and has since shared it with me. I now share it with you, my friends and family, as the 8th anniversary draws near......
Memories of 9/11
Six years ago on the second anniversary in 2003 , I was in NYC and saw the Towers of Light...and put pen to paper......
I refuse to live in fear.
I am an American.
I will travel whenever I want in this great land of ours
undeterred by the threats of others.
I will take my children to our treasured landmarks and historical sites.
I will not retreat from an adventuresome journey
because of others with a disdain for our way of life.
It is the legacy of our forefathers, who shed their blood
on battlefields throughout the world, to protect
our democratic institutions.
I will show my children this country in all its majesty,
from the beauty of a Pacific sunset to the bright lights of Broadway
to the beacon held high by Lady Liberty.
I will show them Ellis Island,
the gateway to a new world with the hopes and dreams of millions.
This nation was forged by an amalgam of spirited people
who believed in self-determination.
I will not bow to those who challenge that notion.
It dishonors the memory of those who have gone before me.
I refuse to let the actions of a few destroy my will.
I will show my children the monuments to our presidents
who persevered in times of crisis and triumphed over evil.
I will show them Arlington National Cemetery
and the graves of those who fell in the defense of freedom.
I will show them a field in the rolling hills of Western Pennsylvania
Where citizen soldiers fought back
and gave their lives in the latest struggle.
I have seen the horrors of that fateful day.
I have watched as flags ruffled in the breeze unbowed
as the smoke rose from the ashes.
Its pungent odor and acrid smell did not destroy our spirit.
I have heard the countless untold stories of heroism
that will stay with me forever.
To live timidly disgraces their honor.
I will keep that dream alive.
I refuse to live in fear.
I am an American.
MKK 9/11/03