Do you remember where you were? 11 years ago, I remember. I was a RA for Concordia University Wisconsin. I was sleeping in, when I heard one of my residents yelling we are under attack. Mad that he woke me from my sleep, I got up and went out to yell at him to be quiet. Quickly I realize he was playing around. Turning on my tv, I saw the second plane hit. What was going on? Seriously was this some sort of joke. Then it became really personal to me. My father was flying from California to Wisconsin for a business trip, but also to visit. My dad didn't have a cell phone at the time, and there was no way for me to get a hold of him. I quickly called my mother, but she didn't hear from him either. I didn't know if his plan left already. Then the Pentagon was hit and the plane crash in Pennsylvania. Watching, listening, trying to comfort my residents as best as someone could, report comes out of more planned attacks from other major cities. One of those being from LAX, where my father was flying out of. I was suppose to have archery class in a few hours. I made it to my prof, to let her know, there was no way I could shoot a bow until I heard from my father. Have you ever felt that helpless? That hopeless? In the Bible, there are many stories that people have felt helpless and hopeless. The Israelite wandering the desert for forty years. The Israelite captives in Babylonia, where Jeremiah reminds them they will have to suffer another 70 years. And so on.
Later that afternoon, I finally got word, my father was ok. He was on the plane, they were about to take off when they got word about the attacks and the air ports were closed. I was relieved in the sense my family was safe, but what about everyone else. The people in the buildings, the people in the planes, their families. Every year on 9/11 I took a lot of time to remember and watch the news and shows. I even taped 16 hours worth of broadcast 1 year after 9/11 (which I still have on VCR in storage). I was never going to forget. It was a sad day. When I began teaching, I made sure my students remembered also (or taught about the events, as I began having students born after 2001).
Then 7 years ago happen! 7 years ago I was sitting in a hospital room, being the supportive role I could be as my wife gave birth to our first born son. September, 11 2005 at 5:35am in Fullerton, California. Each year that has past since the birth of my son, the sadness of what 9/11 once was is replaced with happiness of what to come in my Son's life. This year, I will never forget 9/11 I will always remember the day America was attacked, but it won't be a sad day as my son was way too eager to go to bed last night so he could wake up early and be his birthday. This day is about my son.
No comments:
Post a Comment