I Remember: 15 Years After 9/11

I remember...right where I was when I first heard the news. 

My 5th grade class had just filed into our classroom and, after we quickly took our seats, our teacher led us in a prayer for something she had just heard about on the radio - that a plane had hit a building in New York shortly before we had arrived to our class. 

I remember...what I was thinking. 

The picture in my mind as we prayed was that a plane had gone off-course due to something like fog and had unintentionally clipped a skyscraper. So I prayed that there would only be injuries and that no one had died in the accident. 

I remember...when I realized that I was wrong. Terribly wrong.

Our school went on lock down shortly thereafter and we spent our lunch and recess time watching news' updates on one of the few televisions in my small school. The first time I saw footage of the 2nd plane disappear into the Twin Towers is forever seared into my memory. 

I remember...pain.

It filled our television screens and invaded each of our hearts. The pain of loss and fear as we were faced with something many of us had never experienced in our lives: large-scale evil in our own country. We all were scarred by the events of that day. Scars, to one degree or another, which we carry with us to this day. 

I remember...yelling at God. 

Why? Really - why God? How could You let this happen? I learned that day the large-scale consequences of our sin and our brokenness.

I remember...finding God. 

In the self-less love exemplified during and after the terrorist attacks of that day. In the countless stories of heroes who risked - or sacrificed - their lives to save others. In the response of so many to those who were hurt both physically and emotionally. God was there. And He grieved with us. I can't explain everything about why things transpired the way they did that day - but I know without a doubt that our God was there.

In the fire, dust, blood, and death - God wept with us that day in the rubble of destruction. 

I remember...a day that has forever changed the USA. 

Look around you. From our airports and sports arenas to our political and religious rhetoric, you can see the scars of 9/11 if you look close enough. September 11th left us broken. 

Yet it is still our responsibility to heal our nation.

We cannot let the evil - both in others and in ourselves - to win. 

Today, I remember what happened that day and everything that has changed forever due to the events of 9/11. 

Will you join me in continuing the work of making our country stronger - not more broken - even now, fifteen years later? 

Because we can really only properly remember that day by allowing it to drive us to be better people. More loving people. More peaceful people. 

I remember...

Do you?