There's a lot of remembering going on today. The easiest way for me to focus on the significance of September 11th is to look back to what I was doing that day. Not because what *I* was doing was important or special, but because it's the best way to remember how the events of that day made me feel.
I was at home in my apartment in Dunwoody studying for the CPA exam. The exam was my life back then. I had the Bert Show on (local morning radio show) and they suddenly went nuts over something that was happening. So I quickly turned on the TV - this was just after the first plane hit. I remember thinking, OK how could a pilot be that off base? Seriously. How horrible. And then the second plane hit. And that confirmed it: this was no accident. I imagine a lot of y'all felt what I felt... true fear.
I was on and off the phone with my dad all morning, giving him updates since he was at work with no TV coverage. And we were trying to get in touch with my mom, who was in DC for work. She was fine, and not even close to the Pentagon at the time, but it was scary not being able to get in touch with her. She ended up having to get a rental car to get back to Atlanta because no planes were going out, of course.
A scary day. A tragic day. A day of tremendous suffering and loss. And another big reminder that we live in a broken world. I'm thinking of all of you today that lost loved ones nine years ago. But I take comfort in the fact that we've got a big ole God. He hurts along with us, but his glory is far greater than what any terrorist did that day. So don't forget that.
"In light of heaven, the worst suffering on earth, a life full of the most atrocious tortures on earth, will be seen to be no more serious than one night in an inconvenient hotel." - Mother Teresa
3 comments:
I was working for a local public television station and we were shooting a spot for breast cancer awareness. We had the TV on in the background so we could keep up with what was going on. In the beginning we thought it was a horrible joke then we realized it was no joke. I remember where we went to lunch and everyone was quietly watching the TV's. If you've ever read Karen Kingsbury's It Happened One Tuesday, it's amazing but it may make you sob because it's such a capture of this event. In it her writing reminds us that God turns the tragedy into something for His glory.
My uncle died in the north tower. He actually had a meeting "out of the office" that morning but went into the office to get his belt, of all things. He'd worked out after work the following day and left it at the office. Every single day for years and years I was haunted by the thought of wondering if he chose to jump out of the building instead of die in the towering inferno of burning jet fuel. His circumstance of being there was so consequential - if only he'd remembered his belt. But he didn't. Makes me so sad still.
We were in NYC the night before...we had been staying in the Millennium Hilton next to WTC. We thought about going to the top of the towers, but decided to do it "next time." I never, ever wait until next time now. Whether it's a small opportunity, telling someone I love them, stopping to help - I do it. We don't have "nest time" we only have right now. Wonderful Mother Theresa quote....and so true.
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