9/11 REMEMBERED.

Traveling on a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Cleveland on the 7th anniversary of 9/11 was a sobering experience this morning, especially as one of the planes hijacked on that fateful day was hijacked in airspace over Cleveland.  To be honest I might not have registered the occasion at all but for reading a front page article  in USA Today, but Chicago O'Hare airport seemed very subdued and a number of fellow travelers realized the importance of the day. I well remember visiting Ground Zero just a month or so after the attack, and seeing photos of missing husbands, wives, sons, daughters, mothers and fathers, still posted to railings and walls in the surrounding area. 9/11 was one of the few days in my lifetime when I will always remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard about the Twin Towers coming down.

For me, 9/11 illustrates both the absolute worst and the finest behavior that mankind can display. The levels of depravity, violence and hatred that we can sink to, epitomized by the terrorist attack, never fails to grieve me; but the selfless, brave, sacrificial, loving way that we respond to the deepest of adversity, epitomized by the emergency services in New York, gives me hope. Sadly, much of the hatred, violence and bitterness between people, cultures, and nations is the responsibility of religion, but much of the loving and graceful response to such hatred often comes from communities and individuals of real faith.

Comments

[Joan Young]

For some reason I remember where I was and what I was doing the very second 911 happened. I was up at 2 in the morning feeding my 2 6 week old baby boy and I was watching TV to keep me awake. I thought I was watching a movie with a news report incorporated. What I was watching was the report of the 1st tower being attacked. Whilst they were talking I witnessed the 2nd Tower go down, Live...as - it- happened. Not a later report of it but as it happened. I was in shock.

I still remember 'hearing' - The 4 Horsemen have been released.

I will never forget those moments which changed life as we know it.

My prayers are with the families and all of the unheard victims of this tremendous tragedy.