Memories of 9/11

Ten years ago today, having worked the night shift, I had just drifted into sleep when my two kids came running into my bedroom shouting for me to get up. A feeling of foreboding enveloped me as I forced myself back to a state of wakefulness. The last time they had done that was the morning they woke me to tell me my son's best friend had died in a car accident the night before.

It was a little before 7:00 here in Colorado on that fateful morning. The kids, my husband and I watched the television in shock as the horror unfolded. Despite being at work all night the night before, I, like most Americans, followed the news for the better part of the day.

I remember that night at work, as my staff and I watched the news coverage, they showed several scenes of people from other countries celebrating the victory of the savage attack. Remember the woman who shouted with glee and laughed, her face filled with joy? One of my co-workers pointed to her and said, "I'd love to get my hands on her!" We explained to him that she had probably been taught from the time she was a small child to hate Americans and all we stand for.

I think what frightened me the most about that day was the amount of hate that it must take to engineer such a vicious act of violence against another person, group, or country

I visited New York City last year. Our son and daughter-in-law lived there then and took us on quite a tour. Even though I grew up only 50 miles from NYC, my visits were few. I had never spent a few days walking the streets, felt the pulse of the traffic, mixed with the throng of people on the subways, and admired the many sights like I did during that visit.

We went to the ground zero site, and observed the commemorative wall there. As I read the words "May We Never Forget" inscribed there,  my heart went out to the thousands of families who were directly affected by such tragic loss on that fateful day.

I have never suffered the loss of a loved one through such a devastating occurrence. It must rip the heart right out of a person to have a loved one's life end through such a senseless act.

All this week, I have watched the news and heard the stories of those who were directly affected by September 11th.  The stories are gut wrenching and heart breaking, yet in each there shines the light of hope and healing.

We as a nation will always bear the scars left by the attack on the twin towers, the pentagon, and the loss of flight 93 in Pennsylvania. Our view of our own country, our relationships to each other, and our place int he world, was forever changed that day.

Yet, I feel secure in the future, because no matter what happened on September 11, 2001, God still reigned supreme. His presence was felt by some who had never felt Him before and others who had forgotten about Him drew closer to Him.

Malice dominates this world, but I rest secure in the knowledge that no matter what kind of threat our enemies pose in the coming days or years ahead, our God stands beside us through every trial. His love will eventually conquer every shred of hatred that exists in the hearts of man and only His pure love will remain.

May God bless America!