Week One

Today is the beginning of the first full week of school, and the fifth anniversary of 9/11. I rode my bike to work this morning. With a nylon shell on it was a comfortable ride, although my hands were cold.

Last night my wife Laurie and I watched about an hour and twenty minutes of a special on the World Trade Center tragedy. Parts of it were very hard to watch, and I got to a point where I couldn't anymore.

I remember very well coming into the family room five years ago to hear Laurie say a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. My immediate thought was that she meant a single engine light airplane. Of course, the news had just broken, and the reporters didn't know.

This morning, as soon as it was light, I put out our flag. I always try to put it out on important days such as Veterans' Day and Memorial Day. Today is just such an important day. I am honoring the innocent whose lives were taken from them five years ago. It troubles me to see tattered, dirty flags hanging around the clock, even in the dark of night. I was always taught that this is disrespectful to the flag. I also think we lose the significance of the symbol if everyone is always flying the flag. Sure, fly it at public buildings, monuments, etc, but save the family flag for the special honors. Our flag will come in at the end of the day to be stored until the next important day.