This week I've been thinking a lot about the families left behind after the tragedies of Sept. 11th. I may live 1/2 way across the country from them & might've never met any of them, but I still mourn the losses of so many innocent lives that day. In honor of the many men & women who died that day, I've lined the front curb with little flags. It's not much, but I hope that the families who were hurt that day know people around the country are praying for them tomorrow.
I wonder about the children left behind after that sad day. I wonder about the spouses, the mothers & fathers, the sisters & brothers left behind to continue through life alone. I wonder about the pets who were in the homes of single people that didn't come home that night. I wonder what it must be like to lose someone in such a shocking tragedy. I realize we've all lost loved ones in our lifetimes, but I think most of us are blessed in that we don't lose them in that sort of manner.
It's been 5 years, and yet I can remember it like it was yesterday. And ironicly, tomorrow morning I will spend doing the exact same thing I did on that day 5 years ago. See, five years ago we didn't live in this neighborhood. We lived a few miles away & a friend of mine lived in our neighborhood. She had given me permission to park in her driveway while I walked in the neighborhood. I needed a place to walk for exercise & knew her area was safe. Little did I know that just a couple years later we'd buy a house 3 blocks from where she lived. That morning, I came & parked the car, took out the double stroller & went for a walk with my (then) 7mo old daughter & 17mo old son. After walking for a short time, one of the kids started crying & wouldn't calm down, so I headed home. When I turned on the radio, I heard the news on KVNE that the first tower had been hit. I thought it was so strange & wondered how some crazy pilot messed up those flight plans bad enough to actually hit a tower so close to the ground. Of course, I learned shortly later how it was a terrorist act! Larry called me about 30 minutes later & asked if I was watching TV (no). He said that while arresting a fugitive, he was in their living room & they were watching it all unfold on TV as the 2nd plane hit the 2nd tower. I was stunned. Like most of the rest of America, I sat glued to the TV much of the rest of the day, watching as the United States as we knew it changed forever.
In those coming days & weeks, I learned of Lisa Beamer's brave husband, Todd. I would later read her autobiography about that day & the months that followed. What a precious saint he was & what a beautiful story of faith. I applaud you, Mrs. Beamer! And thank you, Todd, for the sacrifice you made.
So many stories have been played on TV, the internet, in books.....so many lives lost for such a sad cause. It's still hard to believe that this occured at all.
2 comments:
It's a hard day for me as well. I had a newborn at home. My mom called to say "You need to turn on the TV". I did, and just a few seconds after I turned it on the second tower was hit.
I have an online friend who lives on Long Island, as well as my husbands sister and her family. Time just kind of stood still you know?
We tried frantically to reach Jen, but then she signed on the computer, and told us something none of us knew. Her daughters father worked for Cantor Fitzgerald.
Our daughters were born within days of each other, and I just couldn't imagine the feelings she had. Some how she just knew it wasn't going to be good news.
The whole time we waited I think she held on to some hope, but in her words, I kept hearing "Paul's NEVER late for work".
It turns out she was right. Paul was in the second tower and never came out.
=(
Hard day today
l always admired Lisa Beamer; she was such an example of faith in action. I think of her often and wonder how she is doing with her children and especially her daughter born months later
betty
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