What Day is it?

“What day is it?” For as long as I can remember, my dad would draw us three girls together and ask us this question almost every year on this day, December 7. We did not know for the first few years, so we would answer with what day of the week it was, thinking he had forgotten. He would tell us that while that answer was correct, it was not the one he was looking for. Racking our little brains, we would come up with no other solution, and he would then begin to tell us the story of Pearl Harbor.

He would tell us that December 7th was important because that was the day that the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941. It was a devastating event but also a crucial part of WWII. He told us Pearl Harbor was significant because that was the day that the US joined the Allies in WWII and changed the course of the war.

For the sake of our little short-attention-spanned brains, that was all the information that he would give us, but he made sure that we at least knew that. Over the years, I, like him, though not quite near his level (yet), have become quite fascinated by that great war. It was indeed a devastating and incredible time in history. It was a time that truly altered the world. I have learned that not only is Pearl Harbor and the US joining the Allies essential to the war but also American history as a whole.

America grew so much and placed itself as one of the top powers in the world during WWII. Industry boomed, and a sense of unity and patriotism was born among its citizens during the turbulent years of war. However, on the other side, countless lives were tragically lost or destroyed during the devastating war. It was a dark, destructive time where unspeakable evils were spoken, and the depravity of man was put on an open and ugly display. The age-old tug of war between good and evil was evident in this time by the incredible acts of bravery and courage shown by men and women fighting for good and the wicked men and women who committed such horrible acts of evil.

The victorious outcome of the bitter war came at a high cost. However, the lives that were lost were not lost in vain. That is why we must remember these events. That is why we must not forget Pearl Harbor. And if not for ourselves, then for those men, those families, and our country that underwent such sufferings for the incredible freedoms and liberty that we get to enjoy and take for granted today. Through the calamity, our country, our people, and those families grew stronger. Those very families helped ring in a victory and a new age for the United States of America.

Today is indeed a day that we must never forget. We mourn the lives lost and honor their sacrifice and the sacrifice of those who came after them. We must not forget that we get the privilege of living in this free and beautiful country because of them and the grace of God.

After a few years, my sisters and I finally began to remember and would answer our Dad eagerly and with pride when he would ask what day it was. Now, we sometimes beat him to it, telling him what day it is before he can even ask. It is a memory I’ll always hold dear and remember and also pass on to my nephew and, one day, my kids.

So don’t forget to stop, at least a moment, and remember WHAT DAY IT IS.