Saturday, September 09, 2006
What I wrote and how I felt on 9-11-01
As I picked up my journal today I couldn't remember what exactly I had written on 9-11 about that terrible day. Here is what I found:
Our world is full of symbols. The World Trade Center building--twin towers-over one thousand ft. high--symbols of freedom, prosperity, power, all the things that made America great--collapsed in a cloud of dust--terrorists hijacked 2 planes and flew them into the towers--in a few short minutes the safety of all Americans was stolen.
America will never be the same. America will never forget.
Yet in times like these there arises from the ashes of destruction, a people with great courage and perseverance--who will not allow the hate of a few to destroy the work of so many.
I have seen more signs that say "God bless America" in the past 2 days than the past 2 years.
When history records this terrible tragedy it will record our response of unity and purpose.
Those are the words I wrote regarding 9-11. I can remember feeling fear and despair. The world seemed to be filled with death and destruction--death was everywhere. I wasn't sure that America would survive.
Because 9-11 happened a few days less than a year after my son Dennis took his life, 9-11 was just one more event that added to my pain. I understood--somewhat how the people who lost their loved ones would feel. The emotional damage and destruction would last longer than any damage and destruction in New York City.
The lessons of 9-11-01 are this. Death happens to people when it shouldn't. The people are usually loved by people like us. The work of grief must be done or one can't go on. Grief work is not easy. Some have done that work, others have not. My prayer is that individually and collective Americans will realize how fragile life really is---without another individual loss--or another 9-11!
Our world is full of symbols. The World Trade Center building--twin towers-over one thousand ft. high--symbols of freedom, prosperity, power, all the things that made America great--collapsed in a cloud of dust--terrorists hijacked 2 planes and flew them into the towers--in a few short minutes the safety of all Americans was stolen.
America will never be the same. America will never forget.
Yet in times like these there arises from the ashes of destruction, a people with great courage and perseverance--who will not allow the hate of a few to destroy the work of so many.
I have seen more signs that say "God bless America" in the past 2 days than the past 2 years.
When history records this terrible tragedy it will record our response of unity and purpose.
Those are the words I wrote regarding 9-11. I can remember feeling fear and despair. The world seemed to be filled with death and destruction--death was everywhere. I wasn't sure that America would survive.
Because 9-11 happened a few days less than a year after my son Dennis took his life, 9-11 was just one more event that added to my pain. I understood--somewhat how the people who lost their loved ones would feel. The emotional damage and destruction would last longer than any damage and destruction in New York City.
The lessons of 9-11-01 are this. Death happens to people when it shouldn't. The people are usually loved by people like us. The work of grief must be done or one can't go on. Grief work is not easy. Some have done that work, others have not. My prayer is that individually and collective Americans will realize how fragile life really is---without another individual loss--or another 9-11!
# posted by survivors story @ 3:40 AM 
