September 11 is a time when I think of all the lives lost. I try not to think of the politics, although that is hard to do. I use the day to remember and mourn those lost and pray for the survivors and the families of those lost. I pray for the children of the heroes who paid the ultimate price to save a stranger. I pray for those many rescue workers who now have debilitating lung diseases. I pray for America.

One thing I find myself thinking more and more about is how 9/11 changed our children. How it has molded who they will become. I worry that angry words will set into stone a generation with hidden prejudices.

This morning I was thinking of a little girl who was in my child's elementary school a few years back. It was the beginning of the school year and Richard noticed her. He noticed her because when her mom would drop her off to school the girl had her head covered but in minutes the scarf was off hidden in her backpack. Knowing Richard had seen her; she asked him not to tell anyone. She wanted to make friends and she told him about her last school where everyone hated her and made fun of her. They became friends until the girl moved. I often wonder if she ever wore the scarf in public again. It made me sad and angry that a child had to hid who she was for peace and safety.

Last year, my son had to write about an event for social studies. Each week the children were to read the news paper and find a story to comment on. Richard chose a story in the Daily Star where a woman had commented that, " it is more scary because people are forgetting 9/11."

Richard commented, "I don't think that is true. I was 7 almost 8. My parents tried to keep me from seeing the actual plane crash on TV but I turned it on. I won't ever forget. 9/11 was the day I learned what real fear was. The monsters under my bed and in the closet disappeared. It was the day I realized people kill each other. The day I learned sometimes the hero dies and the bad guy wins.
I think it was the day I stopped seeing the world all happy and started seeing how people really are. No, I don't think 9/11 will ever be forgotten. It was the day I woke up, grew up and learned to pray for strangers."

From my perspective, I saw many changes in my son after 9/11. While in some of his friends I saw the seeds of hatred and prejudice. In Richard I saw, almost instantly, seeds of awareness and compassion. Overnight, the Muslim children in our neighborhood became terrorists. Parents had to pull their children from school and hide. This angered my son as he lost his best friend. They simply disappeared. Moved with no goodbye or contact information.

These events molded Richard into a person who now will fight for freedom to be who you are. He will stand up for religious freedom. And not stop until he is heard and validated. I suppose that is why he becomes so upset over the Sahuarita school board refusing to address his letters about uniforms and religious freedom. For 2 years he has written with no answer.

He has changed gears to some degree. He said it was too bad that no one was running against the school board for this election. He would have advocated for the removal of members of the board. He said, "when a body chosen to represent children refuses to answers those children they have no place in the office." You know what? I agree!

I am interested in hearing from other parents about how 9/11 changed your children.