I choose to remember Karen.  To not do so would be doing her (and my family) a dishonor.

Hard to believe that it's been 12 years since that Terrible Tuesday, where  nearly 3,000 men, women, and children perished at the hands of terrorists who stormed airplanes and used them as bombs.

Karen was one of those who died, though it took about a week before we even heard anything.  When we did, it was the single most devastating event in the lives of my family and friends.

I was very angry at first.  Still am, but I have since made peace with myself by choosing to forgive those responsible.  While I can't forget what happened, I CAN forgive and move on.  I also can remember Karen and all who died by praying for our country, which has gone on a downhill slide (things are worse than ever), and by going to the 9-1-1 Memorial, which isn't too far from where I happen to live.

I don't know why Karen or the others had to die in the way they did, but they did.  There was a reason for it, I guess.  I will never understand it except those who were responsible had no love in their heart, just black, unadulterated hatred in their hearts.  

Still, whenever I think about Karen and all those who died along with her, my heart breaks open and bleeds all over again.  It's like I am reliving the tragedy all over again, even after all these years later.

All I can do is pray for our country and hope that there will never be another September 11, 2001 again on our shores.  Once was more than bad enough!! 

May we never forget ... I know I won't.  I CAN'T.