September 11th

September 11, 2001 was my dad's birthday and that day I was particularly sad because it was his first birthday since he passed away earlier that year.  I woke up thinking about my dad and filled with all the grief that comes with losing a parent to cancer.

The house was quiet, I was alone with my grief and I didn't know what I was going to do with myself.  I finally got up and went to the living room and turned on the television.  It was early so I crawled onto the sofa and began looking for the news, and when I found the news it was a picture of the first World Trade Tower with smoke billowing out of it.   At first I was confused.  I remember thinking, "this is a terrible show I want the news."  I quickly realized that it was not a movie and sadly it was very real. 

As I watched in horror the unfolding events I witnessed the second plane fly into the second tower live.  Alone in my living room I gasped and screamed "NO!" and the tears began to flow.  I could not believe that what I was seeing was really truly happening.  It couldn't be, this had to be some sick joke like Orson Welles "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast in 1938.  This had to be mass hysteria all over again.  But it wasn't, this was truly happening, it was sadly real.

So for the next several hours I watched as things unfolded and untold numbers of people died.  The tragedy was heart breaking and nothing was going to make it better.  Nothing would fix this.  Moms, dads, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, friends and heroes would die and no one would bring them back.  September 11th was nothing but pain for me because of my memories of my dad who was lost to cancer and now the American people would share in my grief but for a different horrifying reason.

Today I still cry on this day for my lost time with my dad, but I also cry for all the lives lost and changed by the World Trade Center attacks.  My life was forever changed by the attacks.  My heart is especially saddened for all the children who will never get to see their parents again.  No child should have to lose their parents but especially not this way.  

Our country has been forever changed by this day and I pray that more people have been changed for the good than bad.  I end in a prayer that the Lord would bless all the survivors, the families and friends of those lost and all the people who worked tirelessly and selflessly during and after the attacks.  I would also pray that those still here today will look at what happened and know that there is one they could turn to for peace they could never have alone.  Our Lord Jesus.  I pray the Lord blesses you and keeps you all safe, Amen.