Sar has made it clear that remembering September 11 is an experience personal to each individual. It does seem pointless, even cruel, to force people to remember something no one has forgotten. I just have some observations to offer. Take them or leave them.

This tragedy happened in New York City and it happened in Washington, D.C., but the ripple effect, the shockwave, was felt around the world in an instant. Anyone who saw the towers come down, whether in person or on TV, will carry that image with them forever. The country, the world, was united in an instant, in that terrible moment, that terrible day.

Yes, everything changed forever on that day, but I wonder if �September 11� has not just become a casual excuse in conversation. When the words cross people�s lips, especially in Alabama, where we are so far away, disconnected almost from this home base, I wonder if they feel the power, the horror of that day every time. I know I do.

I�ve seen a lot of bumper stickers that say �We Will Never Forget September 11, 2001.� These bumper stickers seem pointless to me. Of course we�ll never forget. It seems that the only reason for their existence is to remind us of something we haven�t forgotten, and if we have, then the bumper sticker is a waste anyway.

I try not to dwell on �Why?� I know why. Everyone knows why. I don�t like the �why� question. If you think about �why,� you have to wrap your head around the whole �They did it to make a point� thing, and then you have to go over the point in your mind, which is what they want you to do. I feel like if you think about �why,� the terrorists win.

I didn�t know what to do. I don�t think anyone did. So we banded together in our helplessness, a country united in fear. Not fear, but not quite patriotism either. As Dana explained to Natalie, �When someone is feeling helpless, the best gift you can give is to let them help you.� No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. Rhetoric aside, it wasn�t the terrorists that affected me.

I suppose I was asking for the emotional manipulation I got from Chicken Soup for the Soul of America, but the stories of people giving what they had and what they could, that�s what affected me. I still cry when I read that book, every time. There is one story of a little girl whose father was killed. When her mother told her the awful news, the little girl said, "Mom, some people lost both their mommy and their daddy. I still have you." Pass the tissues, dammit.

I�ll tell you when else I cried. I cried when I watched The Rosie O�Donnell Show. And not just because of Rosie O�Donnell. Kellogg�s was giving this girl a full college scholarship through Rosie�s show to whatever school they are accepted to. Without missing a beat, the girl turned to Rosie and asked if she could donate half of her scholarship to the September 11 Fund. I have that one on tape, and it makes me cry every single time.

At one point, I had a whole bunch more random thoughts I was going to include here, but thoughts come and go as the hours pass by. The key to good communication being brevity, this is all I have for this week. I'll leave you to your thoughts.