8 Years ago today, I sat like most of the country staring at the images on the television. I remember being at work when we heard the news. I remember the chatter of what could possibly have hit the Trade Center Towers. We turned on a TV in time to see the Pentagon had been hit. It was at that moment that I knew we were in big, big trouble. My thoughts immediately shifted to my wife (who was teaching at that time) and my 1 year old son who was with a babysitter. I wanted to get to them as quickly as possible.
The image above will forever be etched in my memory of 9/11. I will never forget the look on my young sons face. I remember wondering what his world would look like now that everything had changed. How would our world change? How would his life be impacted by this tragic event? What would the future hold for all of us now that we had been attacked. “Over there” had reached right here.
This morning I watched the images and replays of the events of 9/11 with my children. They were full of questions. Some I couldn’t answer. How do you explain “Radical” to a child? My son kept returning to the same question about why someone would do that. He was trying to piece together the understanding of a different religion and belief. This morning I offer prayers to those families and individuals effected by 9/11. I am reminded that the World Trade Centers housed nearly 50,000 people. I can’t explain how bad things happen, but 47,000 people were not in that building that day.
I am most reminded that for a brief moment, Republicans and Democrats forgot who they were. We were all on equal playing ground. You waved at people to pass. You said you were sorry. You asked forgiveness. The churches were filled that Sunday with people seeking answers to questions and comfort in the only place it could be found. We were a different country. Being a Christian didn’t make you a Republican in those days. Churches linked arms to help the hurting. United we stood. We saw the best of people in the worst of times.
Father forgive us. Heaven help us….
I saw this photo on your Facebook this morning and wow it’s such a powerful image, Aaron. And so true all the things you said about the days and weeks that followed 9/11. We weren’t Rebulican or Democrat. We weren’t black or white, rich or poor. We were Americans united together, helping each other, reaching out to one another. I will never forget the smallest acts of kindness I witnessed in those days following the attack. We stopped being strangers and somehow as vast as this great nation is, we were a community.
Our 4 year old saw a glimpse of footage this morning, of the first plane hitting. John and I tried to explain it the best we could in language he might understand, but trying to put that awful day into words while looking into such innocent eyes nearly ripped my heart out. Thankfully he doesn’t sit still long and was quickly onto something else.
Knowing the sorrow my human heart felt and continues to feel when thinking about that day, I can’t even fathom the sorrow in God’s heart.
Thank you for your post. I tried to write something but nothing seemed “enough”.