I remember. Now I know.

I remember. Now I know. In my mom's 80s she would tell me her memories. Some went back to her childhood and some to her years before leaving home. Her last ten years here at home with us were full of her memories growing up in Saulsbury. Now I know.

Memories beget memories. Like many people I've been counting down to the 25th anniversary of 9/11. From the day that I was working on another project and slowly realized how quiet the office was. Something was wrong. Nobody was around. When I went to the secretarial area Angie said, "We're under attack. America is at war. They've knocked down buildings in New York."

What??? That changed everything! I remember. Now I know.

We gathered to watch television live. None of us could imagine what was going on. It got worse watching the towers come down, seeing the streets fill with people covered in dust, running and looking back. Stories came in from around the nation about hijacked planes. The Pentagon was hit. A plane went down in Pennsylvania. All aircraft were grounded. Radar showed nothing in the air over America.

Where are family and friends? Have you heard anything? Do you know anything? What's going on? Who's doing this to us? It was a day of paralyzed not knowing. I remember. Now I know.

Mama used to tell me about growing up. Times were hard. Nobody had any money. Neighbors shared whatever they could with others. Work was sunrise to sunset, and then some.

One of my mom's favorite memories of Christmas was when each of the children received an orange. My grandfather owned the general store in Saulsbury. They had more than most. They shared more than most. Then Pearl Harbor shook the world.

9/11 was the beginning of strife, chaos, and a feeling of unrest. No one had ever attacked us here at home. The military was mustered. Our son was called up. Conspiracies abounded. Blame was sowed indescriminately. Yet, a tiny red thread of patriotism hung on. We were all in this together. We prayed. The 9/11 generation will never forget. We remember. We know.

Two decades of lies followed with orchestrated propaganda by traditional media and community organizers. Seeds of revolution were sown by those looking for change agents. The movement for change came from fertile ground plowed with hatred and dissention. Sides were drawn and gender wars were mixed in liberally. Of course, race baiting assumed its usual position, and expletives came out of the closet onto center stage.

Then a day before the day came and a LGBTQIA+ man allegedly murdered Charlie Kirk at a rally on a college campus in Utah on September 10, 2025. He said he didn't like what Charlie was saying. It made him mad. Charlie was a charismatic Christian who defended traditional moral values. He was loved and followed by college students across America. Many thought God had sent Charlie to spark a biblical revival and to restore moral values in our country.

One year ago. I remember. Now I know.

Every generation has milestones and times to remember for better or for worse. Every life is shaped by its own memories. Only God knows our deepest thoughts. Only Jesus gives our memories meaning. I remember. Now I know.