Connecting to My Country

When 9/11 happened, ten years ago, I was pregnant with Kealia, and trying to sleep in the early morning.  Darel came running into our bedroom just before he left for work at 5 am or earlier.  He said I had to turn on the tv and couldn't believe what was happening.  Of course, nobody could believe it!  It was so horrible.  I was so scared and devastated for all the families losing loved ones and for our country.  While living in Hawaii can be somewhat isolating and separate from the American experience we all felt united by this horrific attack on our citizens.  It's still so difficult to believe that it even happened.
Life in Hawaii is different than the mainland.  There are so many examples I could name.  A couple of weeks ago, the girls and I watched the movie, "The Help."  I asked Mike afterwards what it was like during the Civil Rights movement, in Hawaii.  He said, it was nothing.  They hardly even knew it was going on.  Everybody in Hawaii was all different races all coexisting as one.  I didn't believe him, because it was so amazing to imagine such an idea.  I asked my friend, Cindy, if he was right, and she said the same.  Again, life in Hawaii is different.
One of the goals of our trip, is to connect with our country.  The U.S.A. has so many proud accomplishments and so many challenges it has and will continue to overcome.  I want my girls to connect with their country.  They are island girls, through and through.  They love Hawaii, its culture, its people, and lifestyle.  But, we belong to more than our state, and as we travel around, I want them to see the beauty of their country as well.  We look forward to going to the memorial for 9/11.  We want to see the amazing strong spirit that is the foundation of our great country.  We want to pay our respects and honor those that were lost.  We want to connect with the others who love the U.S.A.  We want to connect to our country that we are so proud of.  Can't wait.