I’ll Always Remember

I was in the thralls of finishing the Clubwoman, a magazine I layout and edit quarterly for the Indiana Federation of Women’s Clubs. It was just after September 11 when I realized I needed a little more copy before putting the magazine to bed. I contacted the IFC president, Dana Jones, and asked her how she felt about a 9/11 article.  She thought that sounded good and was appropriate for th e fall issue. Then she asked me to write it.  I appreciated her faith in me but realized I wasn’t sure how to write a 9/11 story. There are volumes that can be said and have been said about this tragedy that altered the face of America and the hearts of the American people.

A new vulnerability made its way into our lives on September 11, 2001, as we realized there were people in the world who hated America enough to attack us on our home front. America was devastated by the attack and we were changed. As the nation moved through those first days after the attack, it reminded me of the first line in Charles Dickens’ classic, Tale of Two Cities that reads, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

I was on staff in a large church in northwest Indiana. It was normal for us to meet in the sanctuary for prayer before beginning our day but, that day, no one was in there.  I started looking for my coworkers and found them all glued to the TV in the lobby.  I hadn’t been playing the radio on the way in and knew nothing of what was going on but was quickly brought up to date and then I watched as the second plane flew into the second tower. America was under attack! There was stunned silence and then conversation and a plan started taking form as we realized people would be calling and many would be wanting to come to the sanctuary.  We stayed in place until the second tower collapsed to the ground and by then the phones were ringing off the hook and people were flooding in. We were 800 miles from New York but everyone felt these were their neighbors and friends under attack. The same for the Pentagon and the brave people on the ill fated airplane in Pennsylvania where heroes were born and died.

The days that followed all blurred together.  A huge prayer rally was arranged.  Food and clothing was gathered from every source possible and sent to New York.  Volunteers were plentiful and you didn’t have to ask anyone to help twice. Prayer for the families of all who lost their lives, including firefighters and police were on everyones lips without ceasing. The beautiful thing about our church is color and race means nothing. The members are black, white, Hispanic, Asian and we are all brothers and sisters in Christ and in our love for one another.  In my own church I could see what was happening all over our country as every race and creed pulled together to make a difference in the lives of those who were most devastated by this act of violence and hatred.

It was a real wake up call for our country as two beautiful towers left our landscape in less than 2 hours time and thousands of innocents were killed; but what I remember most is the people and the incredible, courageous spirit they displayed as they came together as one during this tragic time. There were heroes born every minute as acts of bravery and genuine caring were manifest throughout the country.
The events that took place on 9/11 and in the days that followed revealed to me the indomitable spirit of my fellow Americans. They had a willingness to pull together and only ask one question, “How can I help?” You can build beautiful skyscrapers, you can pave highways coast to coast, you can build lovely landscapes from sea to shining sea but if the people are weak or selfish and uncaring, your nation, as a great nation, is lost. On 9/11 we discovered that America is strong because her people are strong. We are great because our people are great. We can never be defeated as long as our people have a courageous spirit and are unwilling to yield to tyranny. God bless America and her people!. It’s hard to believe that I lived through such a time in our nation and it seems that America has had several rough times since then, including the financial crisis of 2008 but it is September 11, 2001, that I will always remember as “The best of times and the worst of times.” 

Poem for this Blog

A Nation’s Strength
by William Ralph Emerson

What makes a nation’s pillars high
And its foundations strong?
What makes it mighty to defy
The foes that round it throng?

It is not gold. Its kingdoms grand
Go down in battle shock;
Its shafts are laid on sinking sand,
Not on abiding rock.

Is it the sword? Ask the red dust
Of empires passed away;
The blood has turned their stones to rust,
Their glory to decay.

And is it pride? Ah, that bright crown
Has seemed to nations sweet;
But God has struck its luster down
In ashes at His feet.

Not gold but only men can make
A people great and strong;
Men who for truth and honor’s sake
Stand fast and suffer long.

Brave men who work while others sleep,
Who dare while others fly...
They build a nation’s pillars deep
And lift them to the sky.

Quote for this Blog

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
John F. Kennedy

Thank you for reading this blog.  I sincerely hope you enjoyed it.  Sending my best wishes and  prayers for God's blessing on your life.