It’s been 14 years since the terrorists attacked on 9/11 and yet if I close my eyes and allow myself, the feelings of that day…the panic, the fear, the overwhelming sadness all come right back to me.
I had just started college and I was at my parents house. Alone. I came downstairs and turned on the TV only to see the second plane hit. I immediately dropped to my knees and started sobbing. I had no clue what was really happening, but I knew what was happening would change the world as we knew it. I quickly threw on clothes and drove straight to my mom’s school. I wanted to be near her. It was chaos there with parents frantically coming to get their children. The whispers and quiet sobs rang throughout the hallways. FEAR was everywhere. I sat with my mom and her coworkers as all eyes were glued to the news.
What I never knew then, was that Will and I spent 9/11 together. He was at the very school were I sat next to my mom glued to the news. Perhaps we sat close to each other, or we may have even spoken, neither of us remember but we always think how interesting it was that God brought our paths together on that day, a day we will never forget.
14 years have past and yet sometimes it really does seem like just yesterday. It’s crazy to me that to my children, and really only Maddy, 9/11 is just something she studies in a history book. It’s hard to wrap your head around but these are just a few things I want my kids to know about that day.
Superheroes Are Real – They may not wear capes, but they are real. Heroes like the men and women of the police and fire departments. The ones who willingly rushed into the towers knowing the risks. Some who ignored orders to withdraw because they could not leave anyone behind. And then after the collapse of the towers stormed right back in to the smokey rubble hoping to find survivors. The heroes on Flight 93 that banded together and fought terrorists to keep them from reaching their intended target. And since that dreaded day thousands of men and women have packed up and gone half way around the world to fight for our freedom. To all the men and women both then and now, we are grateful beyond measure for all that they do. They are the heroes I want my kids to look up to.
Good Exists – Despite the horrific evil that took place that day, so did a lot of good. Strangers helping strangers. America banding together with zero regards for race, gender or religion. We were united as one nation and even through the smoke and ashes, there was good.
Evil Exists – As much as I want to protect my children, it’s also my job to prepare them and that means talking about the harsh realities of life. One of those being that evil people exist in this world.
God Is Bigger – We will never understand why such evil was allowed to take place on that September day. We do know that God knew what was happening and that He is bigger than the events that took place on that horrific morning. Miracles still took place on 9/11, and God was there. He in never is vanquished by evil.
Today we will remember.
WE WILL NEVER FORGET.
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