Letter to the Editor: Ten Days Ago and Ten Years Ago

On the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, we are all recalling the shock of that morning and the fear we felt that more attacks might follow. I remember being moved to tears in the silence of an airplaneless sky by the simple sight of flags hung out over doorways and in yards. Those flags told me that I was not alone. They reminded me of what we share as a nation: we are all part of a common community, working together to recover and rebuild. We all learned, then, to recognize our first responders, and particularly firefighters, as brave and loyal members of our country’s defenses.

Last week, we saw again just how much we owe to our first responders. Hurricane Irene — as unpleasant, inconvenient and frustrating as it was— did not, of course, compare to the world-changing events of 9/11. It did remind us, however, of just how much we depend on our firefighters, locally and nationally. Killingworth’s volunteer firefighters demonstrated anew their courage and their dedication to our own community over the last weeks.

I am commemorating September 11 by making an extra donation to the Killingworth Volunteer Fire Company, and I invite others in our town to join me in paying tribute to these generous men and women.