Remembering 9-11

Today is the anniversary of 9-11, eleven years ago.  I was going to blog on something else, but as I was exercising this morning and watching the news I was unwillingly caught up in the old clips.  I watched the first plane hit and saw the shock.  Then the second plane hit and the eyewitnesses were sure that this was no accident.  It took me back eleven years when I could hardly believe what was unfolding in real life - a horrific terrorist attack.  The current broadcasters were commenting on that day and ‘the strength and heroism of patriotism’ - that carried us through.  The entire country came together that day. Then, the president and his wife came to share a ‘moment of silence’ in memory of that moment.  Then the names of those who died were slowly read off by surviving family members.  They would read several names and then end with the name of their loved one and a few words in memory.  Unexpectedly, I felt myself tear up.  ‘I wouldn’t be born for another 10 days but my family tells me what a great person you were, Dad.’ says a young lady. A middle aged woman explains that their son is in college now. ‘You would be proud,’ she says, her voice breaking. Another responds, ‘I miss you every day.’ I find myself moved by the human tragedy and how unexpectedly each person had said their last goodbye that morning. In the shadow of this huge national tragedy was the fact that each day may be a personal last gift from God. So express appreciation to that loved one you say goodbye to each morning!  Give a word of thanks to God for the day at hand and live for eternity.