9-11Twenty Years Later…A Reflection
September 11, 2001. A little more than 20 years ago.
It’s a day I’ll long remember. That Tuesday morning, I boarded a plane enroute to a business meeting in Seattle while watching the second tower of the World Trade Center collapse.
The scene was confusing.
What?
How?
Who?
Lots of speculative conversation buzzed among fellow passengers. After over an hour-long wait, the captain announced our plane was going nowhere.
Gradually, incidents related to the horrific day emerged. My plan to return to the office evaporated. If our nation was on the brink of a much larger disaster, I wanted to be home with my husband and daughter.
Later that day as more details emerged, I knew I wanted to attend an inter-faith prayer event held in City Park. Following that, I wanted to donate blood—any small gesture that may help. Many neighbors had the same thought. After waiting five hours at the local blood bank, my name was called. Few people left because of the long wait. A sense of community comradery filled the facility.
Faith.
Family.
Friends.
Simple gestures, really, and all coupled with gratitude.
Psychological research, which was to follow the tragedy of 9-11, found these critical elements help promote resilience after any traumatic event.
One of our stops while touring New York City with our granddaughter in August 2021 was the 9-11 Memorial. I hope you’ll appreciate the significance of this memorial as you view some of Ron’s photos.
A white rose is placed beside a victim’s name on his or her birthdate.
The roar of the waters, though seemingly quite gentle, creates a sense of serenity and is meant to drown out the noise of the bustling city.
What, I asked myself at the 9-11 Memorial, is to be my response to tragedies like this? The answer, I conclude, is found in these words of Micah 6:8 in The Message:
But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
take God seriously. (Micah 6:8 The Message)
My Prayer
God, help me, each person reading these words, our families, communities, nation, and the world grasp what it means to take You—and what You desire—seriously. Then, show us how to put into practice that which you have shown…
Amen
