This weekend marks the 10th anniversary of one of the most infamous days in our nation’s history.
September 11, 2001.
It is one of those moments that you can remember.
I bet you know where you were.
What you were doing.
What your reaction was.
We had just purchased our home. I was getting in the shower for work. We watched the 2nd plane fly into the towers live on GMA. I didn’t make it into work until well after lunch, and no one noticed.
That day changed our world. Soon after the horrific events of that day, some co-workers and I went to a special concert and memorial featuring The Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I sobbed like a baby. Particularly when they sang “Bring Him Home” from Les Miserables.
And when they sang America the Beautiful, and sang about the cities “undimmed by human tears” it was too much for me to take. I was overwhelmed with sadness.
September 11, 2001 changed my life. And not because I was there, or I personally knew someone who was.
But because those were images that I didn’t want burned into my memory forever.
Those were actions that I didn’t want to know humanity was capable of.
That was a level of uncertainty that I didn’t like feeling.
And because I had never seen Dan Rather at a loss for words. And it was completely unnerving.
Mostly, my poor little heart turned 7 years old again.
As I put myself in the place of all those children.
Who said goodbye to their Daddies that morning.
Only to have that be the last time.
I’ve been there.
And it’s heart wrenching to know EXACTLY how that feels.
As the days went on, my sadness was changed.
I have never before, and never since, felt the amount of unity that was experienced by humankind following that day.
I felt like people said “Hi” on the street.
People put flags on their cars.
People wore flags on their clothes.
People gave of their time, and their money.
The government bound together and worked swiftly to do what was best for the country.
It was actually almost magical.
Images like this one, while heart-breaking, brought up emotions of pride and resolve.
We all agreed that we would watch out for our brothers. That we wouldn’t let this happen again.
It’s a unity that I miss.
As 10 years have passed. A LOT has happened in my life.
On 9.11.01 I didn’t even have kids yet.
But one thing hasn’t changed. My yearning for unity.
I knew I really wanted to do something to commemorate this anniversary.
I have been faithfully watching the Documentary “Rising” on the Discovery Channel. If you have a chance I HIGHLY recommend it. It’s a documentary showing the people involved with the rebuilding of Ground Zero. I have been utterly inspired by their dedication. The memorial is beautiful. And it’s on my short list to visit in the near future.
I also decided that it would help me to design something to remember the anniversary. Here’s what I came up with.
It’s inspired by Abraham Lincoln’s speech about “A House Divided” in 1858 at the Illinois Republican National convention.
I love that speech.
Not quite as much as I love The Gettysburg Address. But close.
Click on the arrow with a line under it…in the above window. Just press it, and the image file should download right to your computer! Easy Peezy!
You can then print the file anywhere you’d like. This file is sized at 8×10. It will not print optimally at a bigger size. (But you can print it at a smaller size if you’d like.)
As usual PLEASE follow the following rules for Less Cake {more frosting} printables:
- LCMF prinatables are for PERSONAL USE only. You may not re-sell, re-distribute, or claim them as your own.
- Please do not remove the watermark.
- If posting on the internet, you MUST post a link back to this website.
- Personalization, color changes, and other customizations are not available on freebie printables. They are offered “as-is”.
I am planning on viewing the Special 9/11 Concert given by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and narrated by Tom Brokaw. Airing on Sunday the 11th. I can guarantee it will be amazing. Without question.
I hope you spend at least a moment this weekend to remember that day.
Remember those who innocently lost their lives.
Remember those who willingly gave their lives in an attempt to save the innocent.
Remember those who bravely sacrificed their lives in order to avoid more destruction.
Remember those who don’t have a Daddy today.
Remember those who miss their Mommy, or Spouse, or Aunt, or Sister, or Son.
And pray for our world.
That we may find unity through understanding and peace.
After all, we are all children of a Heavenly Father who loves us, and wants nothing more than to have us live in harmony with one another.
Never Forget.
Linked to:
Ellie- I totally got goosebumps reading your post! Thanks for sharing. Well said:) Thanks for sharing the printable as well. Your blog is awesome and so are you!!
Thanks so much Karen! What a nice compliment.
Thank you for the prinatble. It is unfortunate that the watermark is there though. I would love to print it out and frame it but the watermark is too distracting and takes away from the remarkable message.
The watermark is extremely small and is in the bottom right hand corner. Most frames will cover it up. However I feel it important to “sign” my work. After all, it is a free piece of art. And this ensures that people are aware of who the artist is. If you’d like one without the watermark completely, I’m always happy to sell those, for a nominal fee. If you are interested in purchasing one you are welcome to contact me.
My favorite project on 9/11 thus far! Way to go! And your words are dang inspiring! Thanks for this!
Thanks for that, Steph. You were super helpful this morning.
Love ‘ya!
This is beautiful! Your words even more so! You. ARE. AWESOME!! I am sorry that you know how it feels to lose a daddy! Thank you so much for always sharing so much of yourself and your talents!! You are a gift!
Awww….thanks Amy. I’m sorry about that too. But, it does help me understand situations sometimes. So I guess in that way, it’s a blessing. Thank you for being such a great friend!
You are so amazing! I remember that day too well. I was pregnant with Ethan. I had 10 days to go. I watched the news and there were all these pregnant women searching for their husbands. I bawled so hard I made myself sick. I love your printable. We need something beautiful to remember the strength of our nation. Love it!
Oh my gosh! I would have too. What a memory! (and on a totally unrelated note….the news at your house is OUTSTANDING! YAY!)
Your post was so beautiful and heartfelt. Thank you so much for sharing. Totally inspired.
I love the printable! Thank you! I posted about 9/11 today too. I can’t get it out of my head. I will never forget where I was or what I was doing when I heard/saw it on the news. I remember being so horrified when the towers came down that I couldn’t fathom the devastation. I remember thinking, “Wow, well thank God they got everyone out of there…” Because OF COURSE they couldn’t come down with people inside… the alternative would be so tragic that I couldn’t even wrap my mind around it for a few minutes. I did NOT go to work that morning.
We know of a couple “narrow misses” – one who worked at the Pentagon but was on a biz trip to NY with a few co-workers. He spilled coffee on his shirt on the way to their meeting at the WTC. He ran back to the hotel to change, they went on without him. They died. They scariest for me was that my mom flew from Boston to Los Angeles the morning of September 10. It makes me sick to think that a day later she could have been on one of the flights that hit the towers.
Thank you for this post, and the suggestion to watch the Rising.
Oh my gosh. I cannot imagine being one of those people that didn’t go for one reason or another. I would have such a hard time reconciling that. Don’t you think the next generation will ask “do you remember where you were?” I think we will always remember. Totally watch The Rising. You’ll love it!
I have always had such a hard time with some of the media outlets and how they handle 9/11. Too many wanted better ratings, thus tried to promote the gruesome details. I love that in the simple, yet thought provoking post… you have expressed THAT day for me. It wasn’t and isn’t about who has the most footage, it is about how a nation came together after a horrifying blow. How we remember those who have fallen. Thank you for writing this post, and helping me cynical side take a nap for awhile:)
You bet! I don’t like to focus on horrible details. Just learning what we can from situations we didn’t want to be in. That’s all we can do, right?
Girl… this is fabulous! I love this printable. Much like you and I am sure the rest of the country, I definitely remember where I was when I heard the news. This is a very touching post and printable with a fabulous message.
Thanks Allison! You are so sweet!
Lovely, both the art and the post. Beautifully written.
Fabulous as always Lara!! I too remember so vividly the feeling of unity after 9/11….it was soooo tangible. And sad that it faded. Beautiful words and printable to commemorate and honor those who were lost!
I know! I feel the same way. And worry that we’ll somehow be reminded again for one reason or another. Thanks for your nice comment!
OH my-the tears are flowing. Shamelessly. Like i needed another reason. Thanks a lot!
But seriously, this post is amazing! You have a way with words my dear. Thank you for kicking off what promises to be a very emotional weekend.
Thanks cute SIL. Sorry to make you cry. But thanks so much for the shout-out on FB. That means a lot to me. See you tomorrow!
Thank you so much for this post. I have learned over the past ten years that 9/11 means something different to every single person. I have never forgotten, and as my children get older, I will make sure they understand the message of unity, and love, and the unshakeable faith of a country completely at a loss in so many ways. I had to speak in our church meeting the Sunday after 9/11. I remember not knowing what to say, or how to express all my jumbled feelings. I do remember reading the 3 verses of the Star Spangled Banner in the LDS Hymn book. I cannot sing that song without breaking down. Every single time, the words, “Oh, thus be it ever, when free men shall stand between their loved homes and the war’s desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto, ‘In God is our trust!’” make me choke up and images of 9/11 flash through my mind. My favorite 9/11 tradition is visiting the Sandy Civic Center in Sandy, Utah. The flags waving proudly, the stillness of the grounds, the reverence of the people who visit. God bless our Nation, those who fight to protect it, and those who continue to believe we can stand united.
Oh my gosh! I can’t imagine. What a tough assignment. I love that verse too. And we rarely sing it. I love the display in Sandy. It is a great place to remember and reflect. Such a touching reminder. Thank you for this lovely comment. It was really touching to read it. Hope you have a nice weekend.
Lara you have such a gift when it comes to words. You brought me to tears. This was so beautifully written and I think you captured the day/aftermath completely. Thank you for this and I love the printable. You are amazing!
Thanks so much Tam! I think you are amazing.
I can’t find the words… THANK YOU!
So beautiful and well written Lara. Thank you for this. I too remember where I was that day… I was driving into college listening to the radio when the first plane hit. I made it to the lobby of my classroom where there were two TV’s and everyone was crowding around. We still didn’t know it wasn’t a mistake. As we watched, the second plane hit… we ended up going into class… the teacher didn’t know anything had happened. After class the college cancelled all classes. Peoples parents, siblings, friends and loved ones were in those buildings. I went home to my family and we all sat on the couch and watched the horror unfold. I was thankful that all my loved ones were safe, but filled with an incredible sadness for those that weren’t so lucky. It is so important to continue to remember those that lost and sacrified their lives for us that day and to not forget to continue to help out those around us in need! I will be sharing your post with all my facebook readers and friends. <3
Wow! It did make everyone just want to check on all their loved ones. Thanks so much for sharing Kim!
Amen! And thank you!
Loved your post! Thank you for sharing:)
This is a beautiful tribute. In both your words and you art!
Your words brought me to tears. Such a beautiful yet simple tribute, thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the beautiful reminder that we are so blessed to live in America, where our values are based on God, unity, and patriotism. The actions of so many Americans from 9/11 showed their amazing spirit and love. The lump in my throat and the tears about to spill, remind me of my blessings. Thanks for the heads-up about the special concert airing Sunday and for the free printable.
I am so overwhelmed with gratefulness for lack of a better word for your words and knowing that people still feel like I do. I was very pregnant with my third child and I remember wanting to keep him “safe” forever. He wore red, white and blue in the hospital and I cried every time I looked at him. He is a happy and wonderful almost 10 year old now and I hope that he and all of my other family will continue to be patriotic and humble always especially when they see your beautiful image proudly displayed in our home. Thank you.
Thanks again Ellie G for a beatiful piece! And I actually love the little watermark….it adds a little somethiing as the signiture! I live 20 minutes North of Boston. We lost a stewardess from our town that day….one of the pilots lived 2 towns over from us…my bosses wife was originally scheduled to work on one of the flights, but got bumped the day before…..my sister used the same flight to go to California once a month on business, but had changed jobs during the summer…..so many little connections I have to that day as we all do. I clearly remember that morning and the awful realizations that came for days after. Peace and comfort to those who lost so much that day.
This has touched me so Ellie…so many memories, so hard to still deal with. i appreciate your generous gift of sharing this. Would it be alright to make 4×6 copies to share with the ladies at church? Each month I give them a downloaded copy to go in their acrylic fridge frame and I hoped to use this. Thanks again for your inspiring words-
HI. Thank you for posting Never Forget: The 9/11 Anniversary and printable. It brought many memories and feelings back on the tragicevent which took place on American soil 10 years ago. I loved the post. I am going to include it in my blog.
http://nicksposts.wordpress.com/
Thank you so much for your words and reminders to us all
. I too long for that unity that was felt in the time right after 9/11. My husband is a police officer and I oftentimes feel like there is no unity or support for those who are so brave and boldly serve our communities every day.
Explaining 9/11 to my Nugget will be like explaining why horrible things happen to good people. I won’t be able to teach it to her in a way that even makes sense. It always reminds me of how my grandparents have spoken about how the nation felt after President Kennedy was shot. My grandma said she felt the same way on 9/11 she did the day he died. I never could fully understand that until the morning I sat and watched the second plane hit and watched those towers fall, and watched as one plane was reported here and there and my emotions were taken to the lives of all those who would be effected directly. I like you had no children, I was not even married yet, life has changed in so many ways.
I of course have been watching the documentary with your recommendation and honestly it has strengthened the already stalwart and ironclad patriotism I have felt since my very first 4th of July. The part that got me the most was how they laid out the names. I have had to layout names on a headstone, I have had to choose how things would be read and honored. In reverence I will say a silent prayer for those who now have a cemetery and a headstone and place as sacred as Ground Zero is to visit the ones they never got to bury. My boss is lucky enough to be in NYC the 12-14th of this month. I told him he should visit. I hope he does. It is on my list as well. I love that city and the memorial draws me even stronger than the Met, Central Park, Broadway and The Statue of Liberty combined.
Wonderful post! Love you and this forum of creativity that is not like all the rest. You my friend are one of a kind.
Thank you for putting your feelings into words in a way I never could. Loved the post
This was a beautifully written post and the printable is perfect! We posted a printable in our blog as well…junkintheirtrunk.blogspot.com/2011/09/911.html
I will display them both so we NEVER FORGET! Thank you!
Ellis this is so beautiful, and what a beautiful written post. I love your creation and the heart and love that is behind it. What a great craft for all of us to have a piece of, Well done. I will gladly be sharing this on my COM FB page. Much love to you. jen
Beautiful post. ♥
Your words are beautiful & I couldn’t agree with you more! You gave me chills reading this…..visiting from tatertots….thanks for sharing!
WOW…I am filled with emotion after reading your words. There is so much that can be said about Septemeber 11th…but words do not feel adequate. I pray. I pray again. I wanted to be with all of the people that were affected on that sad day…I wanted to hug every person that was hurt, or crying, or lost….the workers, the children, the widow and widowers…and still 1o years later, I find myself wanting to do it all again. and so I will pray. and pray again. and Thank God for the gift of love and forgiveness.
Beautiful words and printable. Thank you for sharing.
thank you for writing words that echo within my own heart. I know where I was, the shock and disbelief I felt and the overwhelming I felt, not for myself but for those who had lost so much. may we never forget
that’s really beautiful and so are your words!
I will never forget. I will never ever be the same. This post is perfectly said, and I think states how many of us feel also. My children were so young they don’t remember it much. My oldest remembers a bit but was only 4 almost 5. I try to explain it, but there are not enough words. God bless the USA and especially the survivors and the ones who lost a loved one.
Anastasia
Thank you for your beautiful art work. I live in a town in NJ that lost over 300 people that day. I worked in a town where they landed the ferries coming from NY that day. I will never forget the look of horror on those people’s faces as they were walking down the street not really knowing where they were going. We could go out the back door of our office and walk to the end of the street, look across the bay and see the smoldering of the twin towers. Both of my daughters had friends from school who lost parents that day and my brothers friend lost her son, who was a Port Authority Police officer, who went to work even though he was off. It does not seem possible that that was 10 years ago because the painful images of that day will live on forever in my mind. We must never forget them, though.
Thank you for the art! It is beautiful! I printed it, framed it, and will give it as a gift tomorrow. Thank you for sharing!
Beautiful, beautiful heartfelt post! (The printable is beautiful too.)
Thank you. This is beautiful. I’ve shared this on Pinterest and Facebook (linked of course). This says it all.
Loved your post. You put into words exactly how I feel/felt. I posted your blog link on my facebook page. Thanks for the awesome print. God bless~ Kathleen
Thank you for all of these thoughts and the inspirational printable. I am going to post it on my facebook page and link to you.
A beautiful and touching tribute to all who were touched in some way by 9/11. I know it made me appreciate what I have and my loved ones. The reality of how you could lose everything in a split second was really brought home that day. You did a great job on the printable. I hope you will visit the farmhouse soon!
Oh My Goodness! I so wish I had a way with words, as you do dear girl, to put into writing all those feelings I felt on that day…the Day The World Will Never Forget! Such a Beautiful Article and the print is Extra Fabulous as well! I love how simple and poignant it is! <3 Thank You!
PS
The watermark is "not" distracting and you "should" always put it on everything you make! It's your way of signing your work, just as any artist would do! There are lots of bad folks out there you know, who would just love to take all your hard work and pass it off as their own, so you can never be too careful!
Thanks for such a simple yet inspire printable. Keep up the great work and good thoughts
Wow, thank you so much for this. This was beautifully written and simply eloquent. What an amazing country we live in! God bless the USA! I am working on a gallery for my house, and this printable will be in it!!
Annalisa
lungfam.blogspot.com
featured this beautiful post on my blog today! love you and your awesome printables!
Beautiful post. Our church had a video collage of images of 9/11 playing while a woman sang “Arms of an Angel” by Sarah McLaughlin. It brought me to tears and back to those days when our saddness turned to resolve and strength. I miss that feeling. Thank you for sharing your image. I did the easy-peasy download and have already printed it off.
My oldest was only 3. She’s now 12 and my husband and I have her and our 9 year old watch documentaries on 9/11 so they understand (to an extent) why we get so sad on this day. And while I never want my kiddos to have to deal with anything like that in their lives, I want them to be fully informed about why the world IS the way it is right now.
Thanks again for your post.
Wow, Lara! This post is beautiful, as is the printable! Thanks for sharing!
But because those were images that I didn’t want burned into my memory forever.
Those were actions that I didn’t want to know humanity was capable of.
That was a level of uncertainty that I didn’t like feeling.
Yes. This is me now. Still.
I live in Scotland and right now, I am am teaching 10yr olds. They have never known this world without that time.
So beautifully written. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing!
You just summed up what I have been trying to put my finger on for so very long. Unity. It is sad that it takes tragedy for people to come together for one another. It is even sadder that it is so easy to put that feeling aside for hatred, selfishness and apathy. I listened to the radio on 9/11 and so many people were saying that it is time to move on and stop drudging up the misery of 9/11 year after year. I disagree for the simple reason you have spoken so eloquently here: if remembering will help us grasp that feeling of unity and love on one measly day a year, then it is worth hanging onto. God Bless you and I will be printing this and hanging prominently in my home. I also will post a link to your site on my facebook page, as I would like every one of my friends to read your post.
I think this is so wonderful. My husband was there, on 9/11, serving a 2 year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and saw the 2nd tower hit. The man who rented his basement to the missionaries, happened to be a fireman, who was finishing a double shift, was on his way home on the Brooklyn Bridge, SAW the 1st tower struck in his rear-view mirror, flipped around on the bridge, and wasn’t heard from for 2 weeks. He lost many comrades and friends that day. Luckily he survived, but this is a memory my husband cherishes. Only days before the towers were struck, him and a group of missionaries got their pictures taken infront of the towers as they were on a ferry. Crazy to think.
Thank you again for this!
This is absolutely lovely. I hope you don’t mind I shared it on my blog today. Thank you!