Thank you...

Thank you many times over, former President George W. Bush, for the professionalism you displayed on this day eight years ago. You calmed a nation that had been stunned beyond belief. A nation that had been plunged into the depths of something we had never faced as a country before.

We had grown complacent in how we lived daily. It was mostly about me, me, me, where ever and whatever we faced. Little did we know our world would be completely turned upside down in just a few minutes times. We suffered our own little shocks over what happened but there would be many thousands of people whose lives would be forever transformed into something they never saw coming on that beautiful morning in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Sharksville, PA.

They still deal with the horrible memories of that day. Much more than we do. I fear we have allowed ourselves as individuals, and as a country to slip back into the mode that our little world won't be turned over again. But I also fear, we are so mistaken.

On this day in 2001 all of us finally realized just how much we needed a leader. Someone who could lead us, calm us, stick with us showing leadership this country has never seen before. Everyone, Democrats, Republicans, Independants and those who never cared one way or the other felt the strength of President George W. Bush.

The years would take their toll on this president because he was forced and determined never to allow anything like this to happen again, not on his watch. We would see his hair turn grayer and lines form on his before innocent face as he made decisions everyday, sometimes having to fight with his opposition party as he tried hard to protect you and me. And yes, he even signed up again after the first four years to give it a try for another four.
And, in my opinion, he never blinked until he turned over the presidency in January of this year. He didn't allow anything so horrendous to happen the eight years he was in office.

He encouraged us to continue on living our lives as we had the day before. He also encouraged us to contribute to the future of our businesses by continuing to buy. He encouraged us to continue in service by helping those who needed our help in whatever way we could. He was an optimistic leader. He was exactly where he should have been at that particular time in our lives.

I remember hearing him take the oath of office in January 2001 when he swore to defend this country from the enemy, both foreign and domestic. There's a key word here...domestic. It made me proud to hear him say that. He would defend me, my family, my country, all those I loved, from the enemy both foreign and domestic. Domestic brought it home to my doorsteps. Little did he know he would be protecting us here on the domestic front for the next eight years.

I've since listened carefully to the oath of office others have taken. I heard the vice president promise this and I've heard new senators, members of congress, etc. anyone who has been connected to the government take that same oath. I missed hearing that word...domestic...when our last president took the oath of office. As I said, I listened very carefully, and it wasn't there. We weren't privy to the second oath he took in private because of a mix-up during the first one. I only pray that this was not an intentional omission and that he will indeed continue to keep all of us safe here in our homeland.

I tend to be a 'word' person. I try to listen carefully to whatever is said, or not said, and I interpret things the way they were said. I hope this was just a slip-up on my part, but I'm not so sure.

As we continue this day where we are remembering those who lost their lives because of people who set out to deliberately destroy and kill our people and our country, may we never forget the leader of this country the day it happened. He undertook an enormous responsibility to lead us. I'm proud of the physical and especially emotional toll he endured for us. I hope I never forget. I hope my grandchildren will all remember and we will continue to tell them as we discuss this horrible event, just how lucky we were to have been brought safely through this disaster.

To those who lost a loved one on September 11, 2001, God bless you as you continue to deal with your loss, and never give up hope. This country has always been a strong country, established by people with an eye toward freedom. May our enemy from outside or any who may be wishing us ill within our country never be successful in destroying what our forefathers envisioned and our men and women have fought and are fighting and dying to protect. God bless America and God bless each of us.