A Tank and a Tribute

I think it is interesting that when I give directions on how to get to our house that I can simply say that I live by the tank. Yes, a tank. Not some silly little miniature toy thing. A real life, once used tank that is just over one block from our home. When we first came out looking at houses, the tank was Matt's favorite thing about Lexington. It's how I would remind him which home we bought.

The tank has been the destination for more than one walk in the year we have lived in Lexington. It is a 2003 US Army M60A3 tank. The boys love to climb on it and explore it from top to bottom. They love to see the periscope up top, see the space where the gunner could see through, and touch the large metal wheels. Though the hatches have been welded shut, you still can get a feel for what it would be like for a solider to ride in. You can imagine how noisy it must be when the tracks move along the road with their metal grips, how slow the turret would move from side to side and what a dangerous machine this truly could be.

With all that said, having a tank close by is a perfect fit for our neighborhood. It is situated on the edge of Veterans Park. This enormous park has miles of open grass fields, walking trails, a river, a baseball complex (three fields below, a softball field above) and the boys' school is on the southern end. It is appropriately named Veterans Park Elementary. I didn't even realize the size or beauty of this park when we purchased our home. It is one more thing that I will greatly miss when we leave this wonderful city in a few years.

We drive past the tank everyday and I still love to look at it when I pass it. They have a light shining on it at night and the American Flag proudly waving just to its side. Also flying in front are five flags, each representing our nations various armed forces. There is one for the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Navy.

While I have loved having our tank close by, today it is a much more symbolic reminder of this great country we have the privilege of living in. For six years ago today, on September 11, 2001 so many people lost their lives in those horrific terrorist attacks. Over three thousand people taken too soon and their families were left shattered and forever changed.

That day will live in my memory forever. It changed the way I felt about America, about soldiers fighting for our freedom and was a reminder of how precious each day of life is. I was in Utah with the boys while Rich was far away in Kentucky. It was so hard to be separated. During those first days, I was so moved and touched to see how it softened us as a nation. Within hours some one in my parents ward had put up American flags in every yard. There were signs in gas stations saying God Bless America. People seemed to be kinder, more helpful and softer. It made us all appreciate what we have been blessed with.

So today I pay my respect to those lives lost, especially those of the firefighters and police men, who ran in when everyone else was running out. They are true heroes. And to those who fought back on Flight 91 and saved so many other people's lives by giving their own. There were so many acts of heroism, to the ground zero workers, to the Pentagon rescue workers, and to all the men and women who gave help to others that day. While it was a dark time for our country, the light and goodness of men and women shone forth, showing the world what being an American really means.

I also salute our soldiers, the men and women who have left their families behind, who risk untold dangers each day to fight for freedom. Thank you.

May the Lord bless you and help you come home safely and soon. May we all be grateful to be an American.