As my grandparents remembered the attack on Pearl Harbor... my generation will remember 9/11. 16 years ago, our world stood still.
I was standing in clinic surrounded by families battling childhood cancer and my work family who fought the battle with them. We worked daily in a place that respected, valued and fought for life without concern for race, religion or creed.
Like the rest of the world, we had several televisions monitoring what would eventually be declared and act of terror after the second plane hit. Such a tragic loss of mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, grandparents, aunts and uncles rocked the nation.
It seemed that the world stopped spinning and paused.
We can't forget the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. We had a brief glimpse from inside that plane from a phone call. Regular guys with extraordinary courage. The Pentagon attack has it's own stories that had been told and retold.
Yes, everything seemed to be suspended in time as we waited to see if we could breathe again.
The days of searching for survivors and the stories of those who were late to work that day missing the attack. Heroes, miracles and tragedy are woven into what is now history. Our firefighters, police and military sacrificed their time, their health and some of them... gave their lives to rescue those trapped.
How is it that in the worst of times, the best that is in us comes out?
For a season, we were a nation that prayed together.
Today... the newborn babies who lost parents on 9/11 are now old enough to drive. There are daughters of firefighters and policemen who will walk down the aisle without Daddy to give them away. There are sons following in their father's and mother's footsteps in public service.
It is a good day to pray for the hearts that still long for the loved ones lost that day and give thanks for their courage and sacrifice.
It is a good day to remember what it was like to be a nation joining hands in love, service and prayer.
Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will have mercy on the remnant of his people. -Amos 5:15
Today, I am grateful for days of remembrance.
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