This day eleven years ago I joined my fellow classmates at St. Bartholomew elementary school in our church. For hours we kneeled in the pews praying the “Hail Mary.” And for hours, I didn’t even know why. After my classmates and I were sent home I can remember how much my knees hurt, but I can also remember how I felt when I found out that my mom was scheduled to be in a meeting at the top of the World Trade Center later that week.

If the Twin Towers were hit two days later, I could have been one of the thousands of people so personally affected by the tragedy. That could’ve been my mom. And even though it wasn’t, I am still disappointed by the fact that it wasn’t until 6 p.m. today that I saw any kind of memorial service, televised or other.

Tuesday morning, students at Benilde-St. Margaret’s all stood up to observe a moment of silence in honor of 9/11 during homeroom. Although said and intended to be in special remembrance of the tragic day, this minute of prayer was not entirely unique. Last Tuesday, and for Tuesdays to come, students, teachers and staff members at BSM will join together for a minute of silence for homeroom prayer.

The BSM community did not come together to pray “Hail Mary.” We didn’t watch the live broadcast of the ceremonies that were being held at Ground Zero, or even talk about it in most classes. And what little support was shown was done via Twitter, Facebook or some other social network. But pressing two buttons to retweet a “Remember 9/11” tweet, while something, does little for actual thoughtful remembrance.

And when we remember, let us do so respectfully, for every anniversary of 9/11 should be a somber one. It is not a day to acknowledge how great “‘Murica” is. In all reality, 9/11 was a day of weakness and fear for our entire country. This anniversary, and those yet to come, should be days where we pay our respects to the 3,000 some people who either lost their lives or gave them trying to save others. Only then can we fully respect those affected by 9/11.