One Normal Day

We all know where we were seven years ago today. Whether you were just getting out of the shower, or on your way to work or sending your kids off to school when you first heard about the attacks in New York, those moments are frozen in your mind for eternity. I remember thinking of how I wanted to turn back the clock to September 10, to have just one more "normal" day. In the days and weeks that followed, I just kept thinking of how much I took all those "normal" days for granted.

As I sit here reflecting, listening to a re-play of Glenn Beck's radio broadcast from that day, I am reminded once again of just how horrifying it was. The images of fire, smoke, collapsing buildings, the absolute fear on the faces of those on the streets will never be forgotten. So many things come back, many of them too awful to think of.

On the flipside, there are things about that time in our history that I truly want to remember. Things I want to imbed so deeply in my soul that they are never, ever eradicated.

Some of those things are these:

The way we came together, as a country, not red states and blue states or blacks and whites or young or old, but as Americans.

Everywhere a person looked, flags flew from houses, from cars and alongside the roads. Our sense of patriotism had never been stronger.

The way we prayed, and sang our National Anthem, said our Pledge of Alliegance, with the words "One Nation, under God" included, and no one thought of it as politically incorrect.

The way we gathered, in large groups or in twos, to cling to each other and lift each other up in support, to give comfort and friendship and love to each other.
The way we cried. The tears that flowed unchecked down the cheeks of nearly every man, woman and child in this country became a raging river that ran from one coast, through the heartland and on across the mountains to the other coast. They made us equal in our fears, our righteous anger, our need for revenge and our deep and desperate need to cling to hope.

Yes, I want to remember these things, because in the last seven years we have slipped back into our complacency, into that comfortable cocoon of safety that we thought we had before this happened. We have gone on with our lives, as we should, but in moving forward, we sometimes lose sight of the things we had in common in those eerie, surreal days of Autumn, 2001.

Take a few minutes today to remember. Think about how you felt that morning and in the days and weeks that followed. Remember the stirring in your heart when you saw the flags flying and the pride you felt the first time you saw a jet plane fly overhead and knew that gutsy Americans had spit in the face of terrorism and chosen to take wing. Remember those who perished and pray for their families. Praise God for those who survived and pray for them as they cope with the memories of that day.

We have so much to be thankful for in this great country in which we live. This anniversary bring sadness when we think about the loss, but it should also bring a fresh resolve to carry on and take pride in how far we have come. In honor of those who never saw this country united, we need to revive that spirit and not allow them to be lost in vain.

Marching into Fall

Summer has come and gone and I have not made it to nearly as many races as I would have liked, which seems to be the case anymore. With a daughter in college and a son in high school, I am starting to see that in the very near future, I will actually have more time for racing, but for now, I need to enjoy the moment and make sure I do all that I can to preserve it.

That's not to say that the racing season is totally over though. Two of the biggest events of the year are rapidly sneaking up as the calendar pages turn. The first, the Gold Crown Midget Nationals is slated for next month at Tri-City Speedway. This inagural event boasts $15,000 to win and is sanctioned by both POWRi and USAC. The first entry forms have already arrived and I expect the list to be long and prestigious by the beginning of October.

Of course, the second weekend of October is not only a big race weekend, but a very big Marching Band weekend for our family, so I will be splitting my time the best I can, and I expect by the time it's over, both my camera and I will be ready for a break!

Following the Gold Crown Nationals will be the Midgets Before Christmas, an indoor event at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, which is slated for December 19 - 20. Our family is already making plans to attend this one, which should be a fabulous event. This is a POWRi-sanctioned race which will feature two big days of racing that won't be beholden to the weather, a nice change of pace.

So, yes, it's post-Labor Day and racing is winding down, but there is still a lot to look forward to here in the midwest. Stay tuned here and to WhoWon.com for much more on both events!