"Have you forgotten?"

Bombs are being detonated all around, bullets are flying by, explosions surround them, they're living in a world most of us only witness in movies or read about in our history books. They shield themselves behind collapsing buildings, run beside one another to barricade themselves from the terrorists who thought they could infringe upon our freedom with no penalty, the terrorists who wanted to instill fear into the everyday lives of the American people, and who succeeded for a time. But, like most things, we have forgot.

We have deleted the images of the planes and the towers and the memorials set up on sidewalks and in fields. We have allowed for authority figures to convince us that this battle we're fighting is for nothing. We have converted our once eager freedom-seeking ideologies to those of the people in power.

Across the ocean and clear across the globe, alarm clocks sound all over the United States. We wake up to the sun shining through the vacant spaces in our blinds, we stretch, take a warm shower and assemble ourselves for the day. We reply to a text message, make plans with a friend for lunch, drive the streets of our hometown, order a coffee. We go about our day without living in terror because our neighbor's son, our co-worker's daughter, our classmate's brother, our old friend from high school, is.

I can't say I'm always thinking about the war or recalling the day we, as a people, were attacked, but I can say that I will never forget it. The reality of the war hit home for me today, it occurred to me again just how real it is when I received a message regarding a friend in the Marines currently on a tour in Afghanistan. The message was not very detailed but still devastating, he had been shot and was being brought to a hospital in Germany, his good friend died beside him in battle. I tried picturing for a minute watching my best friend lifeless beside me with no capability of helping him, I thought about in the Notebook when Noah has no other choice but to leave his fallen comrade and best friend behind to flee to safety, it is a sad image to think about. Although my friend will be okay and live to testify of his bravery, it was a reminder of the immense sacrifices being given every moment we're living so careless over here.

We don't allow the bloodshed of innocent lives and we will come home with the victory no matter how long it takes, and if you want to live on the soil of America you need to stand behind those who are fighting for YOU. You may not be proud of the war, but be proud of your troops, be proud to be a citizen of a nation who stands for justice and will do all it takes to provide the freedom we so take for granted on a daily basis.

We live in America.

We don't accept defeat.

We won't accept defeat.

Thank you to those who risk their lives for ME everyday. You are in my prayers.