Seventh.

[icebluenothing]

It's a fairly typical question I get asked throughout the day as a cashier: "What's the date today? ... Is today the seventh?"

Ordinarily the question doesn't bother me. But today --

Maybe it's because I'm the child of two World War II veterans. Whatever the reason, I know. I know what today is.

---

On the other hand, it's strangely calming to think that someday, decades from now, September 11th could come and go quietly, unnoticed, a bright cold fall day like any other. With enough time, the blood washes off.

Comments

[monotmoe.livejournal.com]

I think it's easier for people to forget that with which they are not directly involved. But the rest of us remember.

[songhawk.livejournal.com]

At least the cable channels won't let you forget. Watching today a special on the U.S.S. Arizona (including it's current state of corrosion and ideas about preservation), I was stunned by a couple of things. I had not know that Arizona survivers had the right to have their ashes interred there- taken down by divers in a special private service and placed in the ship. And I was sombered and pleased that the directors chose to broadcast the playing of taps by a Pearl Harbor survivor with no voice overs, just a montage of clips and photos.

[cithra.livejournal.com]

Have some pity for those of us with overly compartmentalized brains - for the purposes of check writing, I've been known to ask what day it is on my birthday, even if I've been writing checks all day. That part of my mental mapping isn't located very close to the parts that worry about important days in my life or in history, alas.

But, I did win a scholarship from the VFW in high school for knowing what day Flag Day was. [There was a multiple tie among the finalists, that was the question they chose as the tie-breaker, and I was the only one who got it correct.] So sometimes my brain can get it together.

[gwywnnydd.livejournal.com]

As time passes, the hold that memories from a given day have on our hearts and minds fades. Which is probably a good thing, since if it didn't happen, by our forties we'd be non-functional.
December 7th holds little meaning for me. It holds almost no meaning for my parents (Mom wasn't born yet, and Dad is British).
Someday, I will have it drop on me like a ton of bricks that September 11th, the space shuttle Columbia and the space shuttle Challenger, and whatever comes along in the next roughly five years, will have almost no meaning for my son. I hope I can accept that that means they need to have a lessened hold on me.

[lokheed.livejournal.com]

I happened to be in the Magic Kingdom in front of the Main Street Station during the lowering of the flag on Saturday. They always have a formal ceremony during the lowering, but for that day that had an additional honor guard that appeared to be made up of WWII veterans. I was appalled at how many people stopped to watch but didn't have the common courtesy to remove their hats during the national anthem. Generally speaking I hate the brand of jingoistic patriotism that swept the country in the wake of 9-11, but if you are going to stop and watch a ceremony involving the flag you should at least have the common courtesy to show proper respect. Even Ben stood still for those few minutes, sensing that something important was happening.

Pearl Harbor remembered

[katemackim.livejournal.com]

Thank you for remembering. I was contemplating a post about this event of history. For those of us in military families, who have lived in Hawaii, it is melencholy memory.

I lived in a house that cannot be torn down because it was damaged in the raid. Everyday I drove past buildings which have bullet holes, which will never be repaired. Picnicing in Kole Kole pass is unique, it is the first no fly zone. There have not been aircraft there since the attack.

Thank you so much for expressing what I was feeling so well, and so much better than I could have