This Reminds Me

The girls and I attended an hour-long American Girl activity and story telling at Barnes and Noble today.

Hannah (pink shirt) and Julia (assisted by Rachel) created cute little denim purses from old jeans pockets.  There were no exasperating sighs, swear words or spilling of glue, which is how you know I did not participate.

Lois quickly distanced herself from all things “doll” and took off for the anime section.

A Julia Original!  Now, if it were 50X larger and black, her Aunt Judy would fight her for it.

Rachel’s souvenir from American Girl Place in Chicago, circa 2000.

Like the buttons and sequins being selected and glued, girls of every size, shape and color giggled their way through the craft

It occurred to me as I watched them – this is how it should be.  No one asked about anyone’s religion or socio-economic background.  No one moved because she didn’t like the skin color, T-shirt fabric or hair ribbons of the girl sitting next to her.  Everybody shared, and in the end, everybody went home with a clever creation for which she was responsible.

This is how it should be, because this is America.

Tomorrow is the five-year anniversary of 9-11 and like millions of others, I will wear red,white and blue on this Patriot’s Day.  I will ensure our American flag is hanging proudly.  And I will reflect pensively on flying into Love Field on 9/11/01.  I heard dozens of cell phones ringing as they were switched back on post-flight.  I saw the second tower hit as I clustered with hundreds of others around the too-small televisions in the boarding areas.  And when a police officer told me to hurry out of the vehicle boarding area, that the Pentagon had just been hit – I thought:  I want to be home.  Right now.

I’d like to hear where you were on 9/11.  Please post a comment below.  I’d like to read them all.  And remember.

Because I, too, am an American Girl.