Together

When I picked my kids up from school, I told them I was taking them on a field trip.

They started to get excited and began guessing where we might be going.

As I drove, they continued to offer ideas until finally they wanted me to tell them.

And so I told them we were going to an event called "Healing Field" near the Tempe Town Lake.

And that there was a special memorial set up 

to give respect to those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

As a mother I am in a unique position in their lives.

I get to be the very first (if I am both smart and lucky) to introduce them to so very many things.

Some really fun, some random and some very serious and sad.

Although we have talked about the events that happened on that terrible day eleven years ago,

it meant something totally different to them as we walked through the memorial.

When you are standing in the middle of these eight foot flag poles,

there seem to be too many flags to count.

Each flag has a card with a name of someone that died that day.

It tells their age, their hometown, where they died and a little bit about them.

There was a section for the rescuers.

And for those serving in the military.

It was powerful.

And painful.

I am glad that I was inspired to share those moments with my kids.

At the same time that it opened their eyes a little more to the greater world around them,

it brought us closer together.

And maybe (if I'm lucky) gave them another reason to trust that they can talk to me about anything.

Even hard things.