Anniversary

      I was sitting in my office at work on that Tuesday morning when one of my fellow employees ran down the hall shouting that a plane had crashed into one of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City.  All of us dropped what we were doing and heading up to the showroom floor and fixed our eyes on the television.  This was horrifying as we watched the smoke bellow out of the side of the building. 

     What could have happened to cause such a terrible accident?  That was the thought that was going through my mind.  As our minds were trying to wrap themselves around what was happening suddenly another place crashed into the other tower.  At that moment, although not fully knowing what was going on, I told myself this was no accident.  For some reason those planes had intentionally crashed into those towers!  Then in utter shock, within less than 2 hours after the original impact, both towers came collapsing to the street.

     Later it was explained that two planes, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, which departed the northeastern United States bound for California had been hijacked by 19 al-Qaeda terrorists and had been forced to crash into the towers of the World Trade Center.

     A third plane, American Airlines Flight 77 had also been hijacked and forced to crash into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia.  A fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93 was initially forced to fly toward Washington, D.C., but crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers thwarted the hijacker’s plans.

    When all had been considered almost 3,000 people had lost their lives and many more thousands were injured.  It had been unthinkable that such a tragedy as this could have taken place on US soil.  The lives of many of people were torn apart having been family members, neighbors, and acquaintances of those who had died in this terrible act.

     Those events were 19 years ago today.  Many people can still remember where they were and what they were doing when those terrifying hijackings took place.  However, there has been an entire generation that has grown up since that time who only remember this event as a story that they hear told from time to time by other family members.    

     Anniversaries are meant as a time of remembrance.  Normally they are of enjoyable times that everyone is eager to share.  But, some, like the events of September 11, 2001, are a remembrance of terrible times in our history.  But times that must be recalled to remind us that as humans we are capable of horrific actions.  Reminders that we must control the hatred that is within us.  Reminders that things of this nature should never happen again.  Sadly, reminders that we’re only human!   

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Some things that should be remembered

should be impossible to forget."