Saturday, September 10, 2011

No doubt...

No doubt you remember where you were...who you were with...what you were doing. If you were old enough to recollect, then I know you remember.

I was 15, and a sophomore in high school. Nothing mattered more then the upcoming homecoming dance, and who I would sit with at lunch.

After first period, there was chatter in the hallway. I couldn't grasp what was going on. It sounded like rumors, or stories from something happening far far away.

During second period, the teacher had CNN on...this is when I grasped it. This is when I realized where this was all taking place. On my home field, in my own country, to my own people.

I watched, still not believing. Then, right there on the tv, in second period, I watched as the second plane hit. I felt hopeless, lost, scarred. I felt violated and cold. What was happening? What was going on? Was this the end? I no longer felt secure in my small town. In that moment, I felt a lack of trust.

My dad worked in a government building in the cities. I called to see if I could reach him. He answered, and I found a bit of hope. He said he was fine...I don't remember all the details of the call...I am not sure if they evacuated for security reasons, or if they all just hunkered down and waited it out. All I know is that hearing his voice brought back some reality.

I can't recall if I talked to my mom...those were not the days where everyone had a cell phone. Those were the days of landlines, so there was no texting or calling during the day unless you used a teachers phone. I do know she recollected later that her and my brother saw the second plane hit while still at home...his school started later so they were still together.

That night we cried. We sat as a family and watched the news. We heard rumblings that gas would run out. We considered taking our cars to the gas station in town that drastically hiked their price up by almost 400% that evening. Luckily my parents are not rash thinkers. They waited it out. We waited it out.

I remember feeling like nothing would ever be normal. I remember selfishly asking if homecoming would be cancelled...I thought a boy was going to ask me out, and I couldn't fathom anything ruining that....I feel foolish even putting that on here...but I was 15, and that was my reality.

But now I am 25. I have seen the toll that that day took on a lot of people. Ten years later, we are still seeing it. We are still feeling it. We are still fighting it.

For ten years, we have fought a war that ultimately started that day. That makes my stomach turn. Someday, hopefully we can rebuild, and stop risking the lives of our people. Hopefully we can live a life of peace, solitude, and trust.

Today I will reflect, pray, and ask for peace. Today I will remember all the lives lost, and ensure that they are not forgotten. Today, I will go out of my way to brighten someone else's day, because, no doubt, on a day like today, we could all use a little bit of comfort.

Dear Lord,
I pray that you watch over all of us...
The men and women fighting...
Their families back home....
The American people...
All mankind for that matter...
Help us to trust...
Help us to live...
And please help us to always remember...

Amen

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