Posted in Every Day Blessings

I have mixed emotions today and it is fitting that in this Jewish month of Elul where prayers for forgiveness are to be said that I personally will need to dig deep for the sadness I feel.  You see today, Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the only man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, the flight I worked the day after this horrific event, the flight in which 270 people died, of which were 16 of my fellow coworkers -- this man was allowed by Scottish officials to return to Libya on compassionate grounds because he is dying of prostate cancer.  Obama warned Libya not to give this man a hero's welcome yet  he returned to cheering crowds.  I just don't know.  Some say that the man is innocent claiming it was Iran behind the bombing yet Libyan terrorist groups were hard at work in 1988 and it was a difficult time to be a flight attendant.  One broadcast stated that Abdel only served 11 DAYS for each person who died yet he claims even now that he is innocent.  My soul hurts.  I must find it in my heart to forgive.  Scottish residences will also need to forgive the 30,000 pound price tag (that is $49,524 in US dollars!!!) because the RAF had no suitable helicopters to transport him.  And he too will need to ask for repentance & forgiveness, soon I take it because his doctors have given him only 3 months to live.  I don't wish him dead.  I wish for the truth to be known and I wish for the evil in the world to go away.  The crew that I remember and loved deserved more than this and I'm sure their families wish they could have had 3 months more with them.  How saddened G-d must feel about the atrocities of this world.  I pray I can find it in my heart to let this go and forgive.

Pan Am Flight 103 Crew

Avonye, Nichole Elizabeth, flight attendant, 44 years, born 05.05.44, Croissy-Sur-Seine, France, French

Avritt, Jerry Don, flight engineer, 46 years, born 30.07.42, Westminster, California, American

Berti, Noelle Lydie, flight attendant, 40 years, born 24.12.47, Paris, France, American

Engstrom, Siv Ulla, flight attendant, 51 years, born 21.09.37, Berkshire, England, Swedish

Franklin, Stacie Denise, flight attendant, 20 years, born 16.02.68, San Diego, California, American

Garrett, Paul Isaac, flight attendant, 41 years, born 16.11.47, Napa, California, American

Kuehne, Elke Etha, flight attendant, 43 years, born 17.03.45, Hanover, Germany, German

Larracoechea, Maria Nieves, flight attendant, 39 years, born 03.03.49, Madrid, Spain, Spanish

MacQuarrie, James Bruce, captain, 55 years, born 30.09.33, Kensington, New Hampshire, American

McAlolooy, Lilibeth Tobila, flight attendant, 27 years, born 02.11.61, Kelsterback, Germany, American

Murphy, Mary Geraldine, purser, 51 years, born 14.05.37, Middlesex, England, British

Reina, Jocelyn, flight attendant, 26 years, born 26.05.62, Isleworth, England, American

Royal, Myra Josephine, flight attendant, 30 years, born 20.12.58, London, England, American

Skabo, Irja Syhnove, flight attendant, 38 years, born 03.07.50, Oslo, Norway, American

Velimirovich, Milutin, chief purser, 35 years, born 14.10.53, Middlesex, England, American

Wagner, Raymond Ronald, first officer, 52 years, born 18.01.36, Pennington, New Jersey, American