September 11, 2012: It’s now 11 years since the twin towers, the Pentagon and a PA field were hit by terrorists piloted plains. More than 120,000 have died since that day. That day is also a reason why my kids, 7 and soon to be 6, have lived in a country at war their entire life. Their knowing so little of the war is a two edged sword of a gift we give them, ignorance of both the pain we suffer and inflict. I find myself agreeing more and more with a pastor I know who said this morning, “This anniversary brings me no peace, no pride, no honor, only sadness…May the peace of God overwhelm us today, and may we ever more seek God for our justice.”
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On a happier note, this is birthday week in out house.
It’s a week where my daughter turns 7 and my son turns 6. Words can’t express how much I love them or how proud I am of them and our life as a family. They constantly remind me how strong they are, whether it’s A waiting to fall apart until the evening because the full day of learning at school has worn her out, or O spelling “food” as we sit around a dinner table. Both of them are reminders to never curse our kids with low expectations. It is far better to stand back to watch and marvel at their individualistic personalities. When they came home years ago, A was a little lump who needed help learning to do even the most basic physical activity like sitting up. She would sit on her mat and sometimes bat at the toys hanging down in front of her. We didn’t know she would grow to a beautiful empathetic young lady with a natural motherly nurturing streak a mile long. When O came home roughly a year later, we thought he would do little more than lay down and scream while occasionally destroying whatever was near. While he still complains a lot, we are struck by his constant energy and his love of building. Laying down is really no longer his style.
Just when I think A will follow the crowd and do what all her friends are doing at her birthday party, making the same blue star covered bear at Build a Bear, she goes a completely different direction opting for the rainbows instead. It’s nice to think she might be immune and possibly oblivious to peer pressure for a while longer. I hope she never loses sight of what she wants once she decides. As for O, I worry as much about what he will get others into as I worry for the trouble he will cause. He is so determined to do his things his way. I doubt others will influence him too much. For any who would bet on such things, I should put a caveat in the bet to say all bets are off when he starts dating.
