The news this morning was all about the anniversary of September 11th. Family members were interviewed and spoke of how that day will never be forgotten. I myself remember it well. The phone rang after 8am and my neighbor Kathy told me to put on the television, a plane had crashed into the Twin Towers. Timmy and I watched in disbelief as the other tower was hit. To get away from the television, Timmy and I decided to do what we did every Tuesday morning, walk to Tivoli and go to the Thrift Shop. A small group was waiting outside the door, whispering in shock, "a plane has crashed in the Pentagon", more planes are attacking, the country is at war". No one knew what to believe and then I saw Maria drive up with Regina in the car. She, too, had felt the need to do a usual, normal activity. I don't even remember going into the shop, but Margaret who lives next door, called down to us to come to her apartment. Timmy said he would walk home, and Maria, Regina and I went upstairs. We talked nervously about the events, second guessing what was coming next, and then Margaret looked at Regina, two years old at that time, and asked "Regina, would you like to hold one of my birds?" Regina nodded yes and Margaret said, "I'll let you hold Retardo, he's very easy going" and Regina stretched out her hand and Margaret took a picture of Regina, wearing a long dress, a solemn look on her young face, with that bird held so gingerly on her finger, with the tv in the background showing the smoking twin towers. Wow! Talk about capturing so much with one picture. Seven years later, the family members still feel the grief, the loss and watching them being interviewed on TV this morning, I said in my head (sometimes I do say these things out loud too), "Yes, I understand. I grieve with you at your lose." That's what grief does to you...it humbles you, it humanizes you. It gives you an understanding of the "human condition" that you can only get when you go through it yourself. Seven years have passed, and I wonder what we learned as a people, meaning the whole country, from this event. I look at the polls with Palin sweeping McCain ahead and I shake my head. Bush used this event to go to war, thousands have died, and we have a chance to elect someone who can bring the soldiers home, help our country get back on its feet, make us feel proud again as Americans, and we would rather have a gun toting, moose killing, pit bull (lipstick wearing) hockey mom leading the way. God Help Us.