Golightly Place - Remembering 9/11

Dateline: Sep. 11, 2006

Remembering 9/11

It was our second joyful week of beginning our homeschooling journey. My older daughter was just in kindergarten.

I can't recall if I saw the second plane hit or not...

My brother had called me to tell me to turn on the television, that the World Trade Center had been hit and they thought it was an attack.

I DO remember seeing the first tower come down though. I recall watching it on ABC. Peter Jennings was describing the fires at the Pentagon and was wondering aloud, as we all were, if these crashes were connected. As he was speaking, the tower just crumpled before our eyes. He must not have seen it right away because he was still talking about the pentagon and so, for a moment, I didn't believe what I had seen. I just remember gasping and saying (out loud, I think), "It's gone! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh!" And the reality of the catastrophe that had just occurred began to sink in. What looked like a small, paper toy just being squashed, was, in reality, a huge, huge building and I just began to think of the reality of that impact. And then I remember looking at the other tower and just knowing that it, too, would fall and waiting for that terrible, dreadful moment... and not wanting it to come, but knowing it would.

I stepped away from the television for a little while after the tears came and I'd had to explain to my little ones what Mama was crying about. We took a walk outside. Stepping out into the sunshine to breathe, I don't know if I exactly realized it then, but I'd stepped out into a new world.

I am thankful that even in this new world God remains the same - yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is Almighty and He is in control. He is victorious and is working out His perfect plan.

My prayer today is for peace. My prayer today is for unity and for us to find ways to bridge the gap of our differences. My prayer is for understanding.

My daughter, M, is memorizing this poem for her recital for our recitation club. Please enjoy it in rememberance of this day.

Prayer for Peace
by Aileen Fisher

Swing out, oh bells,
sing out, oh bells
our prayer that strife be ended.
That guns be still on plane and hill
and all our discords mended.
Let weapons turn to plowshares now
and fighting planes be grounded
as through the air of Everywhere
the words of peace are sounded.

Ring out, oh bells,
swing out, oh bells,
sing out from every steeple
the burning hope
the yearning hope
for peace by weary people.
Let understanding be our aim,
the goal for which we're heading
as through the earth
a strong rebirth
of brotherhood starts spreading.

Comments