Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Remembering Today

What happened on September 11
compels us to focus on
who we are as Americans,
what we stand for,
what really matters in our lives -
family, friends, faith and freedom.
-Bob Taft


I'm remembering today. Guess we all are. Remembering where we were. Who we told. Who told us. Remembering the shock... the numbness... the incomprehension and the disbelief. Not here. Not us. Not today. Not our America.

It affected us all, didn't it? Whether we ran, in shock, through NYC's ashy debris or ran, in shock, through the halls of our homes and offices - it split us open. Grief, fury, and patriotism spewed forth, and suddenly the worries of the day... the deadlines and bills and annoyances... all crowded insignificantly in the backseat to our worry and horror and fear. And it was as if, for the first time in a long time, we were awakened to the sense of people again. The people we lost. The people we saved. The people who stepped up. The people who were brave. Suddenly, we looked at the ones next door to us. In the store lines in front of us. Suddenly, we were all people again. We were a nation again. A nation of scarred yet determined citizens, but a nation of people nonetheless.

We'll never forget the images of that day, will we? We'll never forget the images and we'll always remember the people - all the people - who became heroes and leaders and friends. The people who brought terror and the people who fought terror. And today, six years later, as life's returned to normal and we're consumed - once again - with our deadlines and bills and annoyances, I pray we'll never forget the tragedy of September 11th. I hope we'll always remember the call we felt, that day, to pray. To pray for our safety, our country, and our people. For our soldiers, our saviors, and our officials. For during the morning, evening, and at noon - when we pray and cry out loud - He shall hear our voice.

We'll never forget to remember that day, will we? Where we were. Who we told. Who told us. I hope we'll never forget. I pray we'll always remember.

5 comments:

Terri Steffes said...

So nicely said. I was teaching school when a student came in and told me... he held my hand and tears flowed down his face and mine... it was the first time I prayed with my class.

Unknown said...

Amen!! I'll never forget!!

BellaColle said...

Amen... I know our family won't forget.. We can't let our nation slip away.

Unknown said...

Thank you. Very nicely written. Bless those families who have lost loved ones.

Anonymous said...

To everyone who reads this blog:
Please say a special prayer for my cousin, Don, who is fighting in Iraq at this very minute. He is a special soldier and a special leader, and God has watched over him in a very special way...pray that he will come home soon--safe and sound--to his precious wife and children. Thank you!