#8

"December 7, 1941 - a day which will live in infamy - the United States of America and suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan." FDR said this on Dec 8, 1941.

69 years ago on that fateful day, on a clear morning, 2,335 servicemen took their last breaths. 2,335 men paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

I remember learning about Pearl Harbor and thinking, "Wow, wouldn't that have been something? To be there and to see what had happened..." I thought that there was nothing in my time that would be as defining a moment as Dec 7. Just saying that date could bring up images of the day, for people that have lived it.

Then, my generation had it's 'infamy' date, and I had a whole different view. I changed my mind, I didn't want a date to forever after churn up images. I guess that is how so many people have felt about this date for the past 69 years. The 2,335 families that didn't get to say goodbye to their soldier or sailor could probably do without the mental image of the Japanese attack that day...

And that is what is rubbing me the wrong way today. People are forgetting. People no longer hear December 7th and think of a peaceful morning in Hawaii that turned into Hell. People just think of it as another shopping day in December. Come on! You cannot take a few minutes out of your day to say a prayer for the men that never left the island, that never left their ship?? Well, I guess you can't if you don't know what happened that day. Do teachers no longer talk about this day to their students? Do people no longer feel it is a significant day for our country??

I do.

It's no secret, I am a patriot. I believe my country is the greatest in the world. I love my military like there is no tomorrow; for so many of my military family, there really is no tomorrow. I am also a nerd that loves history. I love to learn about the things my country has had to endure, the things we have done for ourselves, and the things we have done for others. So maybe that all adds up to a girl that will not let this day become something less than it should be.

My day? It was just another day. I took my girls to playmorning where I had a chance to chat with some friends. I did laundry, read a book, played with my girls and husband. Nothing spectacular.

But it was a day I got to share with my soldier and my daughters. That makes it a good day. It was also a day I got to educate my girls. Yes, my two year old daughters got a mini history lesson, including FDR's speech to Congress. That is my insurance that someone will honor this day.