Patriot Day

I'm confused as to what the purpose of naming 9/11 was. Whose idea was this? And why did I have to find out about it through my At-a-Glance Monthly Planner at work? Did someone name it Patriot Day in hopes that one day this too would be the day to bbq and go to the beach, like all our other nation-related holidays? How long did it take before people started grilling on Memorial Day and stopped giving a second thought to our fallen soldiers? I'm just saying, when I hear Patriot Day I think about a bbq while my kids play Little League Football dressed as the New England Patriots. On the other hand, when I hear 9/11 I think about the monumental historical event I wish I hadn't witnessed. I think about the soldiers who left their home soil to ensure that nothing like this would ever happen again and that our freedoms would be protected. I think about those men and women that came together to help their brothers are sisters out of the ash and smoke. I think about a nation brought together with renewed compassion and well, patriotism. But I just can't get past that name.


Whatever we end up calling it. Here's to remembering those fallen, civilian and military. And to those who stand to protect our safety and freedoms today.