A Memoriam

The anniversary of the 9/11/01 tragedies brings with it a flood of memories. That day is indelibly stamped in my mind like a fingerprint that can never be erased, and it shouldn't be.

I was in a math class, my freshman year of college, when the first airplane was guided by terrorists into the World Trade Center tower. No one came to the classroom to bring the news of the tragedies, most likely everyone in the building was similarly unaware or glued to their television screens in utter disbelief of what their eyes beheld. After that class, I walked to my car and dialed the radio to a favorite station of mine. What I heard wasn't the usual rhythmic beats or soothing voices, I heard panic. It was still early at this point and reports were confused, no one seemed to have a clear picture of what was taking place. During the ten minute drive home, I started to think that the radio broadcast was a sketch, similar to Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds." When I arrived home, however, I found my Mother in front of the television, crying, trying to process the hideous scene that unfolded before the world.

As the hours trudged on and more speculations were being offered as facts, I could hardly tear myself away long enough to attend my health class. Once in class one could immediately sense a different mood in the lecture hall than was normal. Several young men declared their intentions to be a part of the battle against Osama Bin Laden and his evil minions. Their safety, security and sense of innocence was lost in that one tragic morning. I have no way of knowing if any of them actually fulfilled their hastily made promises, but I know that many men and women did honor their promises.

Now six years later, I still have a hard time believing it wasn't all part of some nightmarish radio broadcast. America changed that day and hasn't been quite the same since...we've lost family and friends, we've lost our feeling of isolation from the dangers of the world, and we've lost our naive belief that America is big enough to keep us all safe.

I am immensely grateful to live in this country and enjoy the freedoms that accompany citizenship. But, I don't put my hope in the elusive idea of a country or a governing body. Instead, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that through Jesus Christ alone can we find ultimate peace and freedom.