I always wonder if Bin Laden chose 9/11 because it was our emergency phone number. Or because 11 stood tall and strong like the twin towers. Or was this just a random day chosen out of the twisted hatred in his mind?

Today, Soleil read the headlines in the Boston Globe. 

"Mom? What’s special about September 11?"

"well, about 8 years ago, some people who hated America took some airplanes and flew them into buildings"

"Why?"

"because they hated America. Sometimes people who hate fail to stop and think about how evil they are being"

Luna chimed in: "What happened to the people in the building?"

"some escaped. Uncle K was there. He was in the hotel between the two buildings. He left the hotel and watched and reported until he couldn’t watch anymore. He left and the buildings fell down right after he left"

"was he okay?"

 "Yes, but we didn’t know that for a while because everybody was calling everybody"

"well, at least people got out of the building!" (Soleil is always looking for the bright side)

"Actually, honey, almost 3,000 people died that day. The people on the lower floors got out."

Luna: "why not the high floors? Too many stairs?"

"no they couldn’t get past the floors where the planes hit"

We talked about the Pentagon, flight 93 and how those passengers sacrificed themselves. We talked about the two flights, flight 11 and flight 175 leaving Boston.

We talked about airplane security and how they understood that this is why we have to take off our shoes and jackets and why their stuffed animals need x-rays at the airport.

"We’re safe now, right mom?"

I don’t know guys. I really don’t know. Seeing what is going on in America with congressmen showing blatent disrespect for our president? Seeing people bringing religion and race into politics again? I just don’t know.

This parenting thing can get tough.