It’s hard to believe that tomorrow we mark another year’s passing from the horrific events of September 11, 2001. Time moves so quickly, doesn’t it? Fifteen years. Wow.
We all have memories from that day.
I was driving to work listening to the radio, glorying in the gorgeous blue sky and beautiful fall-type weather. They broke into the song that was playing to announce that planes had been hijacked. I couldn’t imagine what was happening.
As soon as I got to work (three minutes later), my printer (Debbie) came out to tell me to turn the television on. I was already on my way to do that. We watched the tower fall … in shock. That beautiful day had turned so ugly. All day long, it felt as if we were hit with one more terrible news item. Customers stumbled in to pick up their printing. They knew they had to do something that was normal, but no one was really feeling normal. We were absolutely destroyed at what was happening.
One of the worst feelings was helplessness. We weren’t part of the actual event, and it felt strange to identify with it; but we did. Everyone did, whether we knew someone in the area or not. Architectural icons were gone … an iconic city was in the midst of madness; those were real people with real families. They had done nothing to deserve their fate.
We didn’t know what might come next … or where. That day all we heard and saw were the horror stories. The stories of hope were days from being told.
Still yet today, those stories of hope and joy, grace and love find their way into our hearts and minds. We need to tell them over and over and not let the misery and fear that enveloped us on that day take over.
But we do need to remember. To remember the loss of 2,996 lives; the injuries and recovery of more than 6,000 others; catastrophic destruction; the first responders who sacrificed so much and those who continued to work day and night.
We must remember and we must pray for hope, joy, grace, and love to surround those memories as we go forward.
Tell us your memories from that day.
