Today is the ninth anniversary of 9/11. While it’s respectable to reflect on how that day has wholly transformed our country, both inside and outside the nation’s borders, I don’t see as much reason to dwell on that specific day’s specific tragic events once every 365 or 366 days. In particular, I get the willies when I see people watching and/or airing the videos of people jumping out of the windows of the Twin Towers and say that this is some form of honorable meditation. It seems oddly sadist. Also, with each year (especially this one), 9/11 becomes more a focal point for xenophobia and veiled bigotry than a true time of reflection, and I find that incredibly distressing. But I digress before I get myself in any more trouble.

I did want to mention a few things about the actually day that all of this madness happened back in 2001. I distinctly remember being in middle school and walking over to my second class of the day, which was band. As soon as I walked into the band room, I looked up at the TV, which my band director was watching avidly. The second plane had crashed into the WTC. For every remaining class of the day, all we did was just migrate from classroom to classroom and watch the day’s events unfold. I recall watching the towers crumbling like a sand castle and being in complete disbelief. I’d never seen anything like it. I remember hearing the name “Osama bin Laden” for the first time, when one of my teachers researched his name on the internet.

But what I strangely remember best is seeing a load of students in the hallways, crying and praying fervently. I guess on extreme occasions such as this, separation of church and state could understandably take a back seat for many students and staff members. Although some of the kids might have been crying and praying because they personally knew people that might have been affected by the attacks, I would bet that most were simply afraid. In the midst of this surreal scene, watching tens of weeping eighth-graders with their hands clasped together, I thought two things.

First, I was really worried about the Muslim population–both on the grand scale and in terms of the Muslim students in my school. I couldn’t help but think of what happened to the Japanese people in the US back during World War II, and I grew concerned that Muslims would face a similar kind of distrust or persecution. Although it might not have ever gotten that dramatic, I’m sorry to say that I think my fears have partially come to fruition–I mean, threatened Koran burnings, general Islamophobia and opposition to a Islamic center near Ground Zero don’t really scream equality, understanding, and tolerance to me.

Secondly, on an almost light-hearted note, I realized something in my own head.

I live in Kansas. I am safe.

I honestly thought that. To a certain extent, I was confused by why so many of the students were praying for their own safety when I already knew that we weren’t in any imminent danger. Maybe that sounds incredibly callous or immature, but come, now. It’s Kansas. Unless you’re trying to destroy the country by incinerating all our wheat or razing the Sprint Headquarters, you might as well move on. And I was in the eighth grade.

All in all, more than anything else, 9/11 these days is a benchmark in my life which just continuously helps remind me how quickly time passes. It’s already been 9 years. I can remember the first anniversary and the fifth one as if they just happened a couple years ago. I was 13 when it all happened. I’m 22 now. The internet as we use it and interact with it now wasn’t even close to existing back in 2001. Back then, the only big internet thing I was into was NeoPets (and what a mistake that was).

This clearly wasn’t a very sentimental or patriotic entry. But it wasn’t meant to be. I just wanted to think back on that day in my own way, and I’m sure plenty of others have already said much more thoughtful things than I could.

Fine, here’s my one snippet of sentimentality. Get out there and enjoy your life, whatever that entails for you. Be thankful for those around you and supporting you. If nothing else, that day nine years ago showed us that nothing should really be taken for granted.

Marvel's take on the iconic picture.