I am John Kirkwood for Uncommon Sense and this is ‘On This Day.’  Prior to the year 2001, the 11^th of September was remembered, by those who love literature, as the birth dates of O Henry and “DH” Lawrence; to football fans as that of Bear Bryant and Tom Landry; to historians September 11^th was the day that Manhattan Island was discovered and the boulder, now the Hoover dam dedicated.  In 1853 the first electric telegraph would be in use and a newspaper would run the first cartoon strip in 1875.  In 1918, to the chagrin of Chicago fans everywhere, the Boston Red Sox would close out the 15^th World Series, defeating the Cubs four games to two. 

All of these people and events are memorable to some people at some time, but on September 11^th 2001 a perfect storm would carry a group of Americans to be indelibly remembered in the annals of world history and 9/11 would become that sacred day in American history that contains a portion of each of our holy days.

September 11^th is Memorial Day as we remember both professional and citizen soldiers who gave the last full measure of devotion. 

It is Labor Day as common citizen dons dusk mask taking up next to Fireman, Policeman and Marine to dig out from the rubble. 

It is Independence Day as the American Patriot bows up in defiance to terror to express in thought, word, and action the Navy motto Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of All Who Threaten It. 

As answering machines pick up calls from under a desk on the 93^rd floor or from seat 23B of an airliner, September 11^th becomes valentine’s day – “honey I don’t think I’ll be coming home – just know that I Love you, I will always Love you.”

As children copy/paste and post pictures and descriptions of their missing loved ones on storefront windows, 9/11 becomes Mother’s and Father’s Day. 

As Passenger prays the Lord’s Prayer with an operator he has never met then sets his face like a flint to face his destiny; his final words “Let’s roll” bring us back to a garden in Gethsemane where we first learned

Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.

And yes September 11^th will always be Thanksgiving as a grateful nation thanks God upon every remembrance of our 9/11 heroes, thankful that such men and women lived. 

On This Day is brought to you by Uncommon Sense at Uncommonshow.com

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