I remember 9/11.

I was four years old when the twin towers were hit.
My mother tells the same story every year, "I was upstairs watching the news while you were downstairs watching Blues Clues"

To be honest, I don't remember much from that day. I was only four years old, after all. I do remember my brother talking about it, he was in fifth grade when it had happened. Other than that, I don't remember that specific day very well.

But what I do remember was being three years old and going up to the gate where my grandparents from Poland's plane landed. I remember going right up to the gate, no security or anything.

I remember taking my shoes off, my belt off, my jacket off, my jewelry off. I remember emptying my pockets and taking my phone out of my backpack. I remember the days before the liquid regulations, but now I remember squeezing two weeks worth of liquids in a plastic bag, with bottles under 4 fl oz.

I remember the fear of walking through the metal detector and it going off, even though I'm innocent. I remember the awkward pat downs in front of everyone because my bra randomly set it off. (Real life story). I remember being pulled aside because they thought my sand from the Baltic sea was drugs. (another story.) I remember the first time I went through that dreaded body scanner thing at the airport, the one that violates you in every way.

I remember the stories my generation has all grown up hearing-- the stories of Americans traveling places without having to hide their nationality, stories of a time that terrorism was unheard of, especially planes running into buildings, rather than just taking them for hostages.

I remember my generation never looking at foreigners quite the same. I remember us always prepared  for disaster. I remember us numb to the idea of attacks, because that's our lives. Our lives are all terrorism on top of terrorism. In different countries, in our home towns.

I remember the blood that was shed. I remember the lives that were lost. I remember the consequences.

I'm only 17 years old,
But I remember.

God bless,
Kasia