It’s difficult to have words that can put to justice the feelings in your heart. We all know where we were, we all remember the day vividly. When I was a child I remember hearing the grownups talk about how they remember the day when President Kennedy was shot, I was intrigued and confused by that… The idea that they all remembered what they were doing that day, the tears they shared. At such a little age I couldn’t understand the emotion felt over someone who was essentially a stranger. But on September 11th I learned. And as the years have passed I have felt it over and over again; I remembered, I felt, I cried and I loved.

I have always been grateful to live in this country. I can be a girl with a camera and a huge dream and guess what it can happen for me and that is truly the American Dream. If you believe in your dreams and work hard enough, they can happen, I believe that with all my heart and it’s in that hope that I live with such optimism. As a nation, we are not perfect, we have many flaws that we use to improve on. I believe kindness and empathy being the first but what our forefathers dreamt of, what out ancestors sacrificed for, It was not in vain!

And to those who continue to protect our nation, who walk away from their children, their spouses, their friends and their family to ensure that we can raise our flag. To all of the men and women who put themselves in harms way to maintain the hope that my children will not be… I am grateful!