While checking the news yesterday, I found a link with new pictures on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. I realize that it has been awhile since this event, but looking at these pictures brings back a lot of memories from that day.
I was in my first year of graduate school at Western Illinois University. I didn't have the TV or radio on that morning, and I met my two friends who lived in the same building and we made our way to class. On the way, they asked if I had heard about what was going on in New York. I didn't know...I was concerned.
It wasn't until I got to class and sat down that our professor informed us of what was going on. It was the only time I walked out of a class. I said, "I need to see what's going on." And I walked out. Classes were canceled for the day and I sat by myself, and with friends, and watched each detail as it was made available. I talked to family and friends trying to make sense of what happened.
For a long time, there was a huge increase in feelings of patriotism and community in this country. As the years went on, those feelings have retreated back to their usual levels. Seeing these imagines reminds me of the pain of that day. It reminds me of the families that lost someone that day. It reminds me of the scars that we all have of this day. It changed who we are...I would not want us to forget this moment in our lives. It was a painful moment in our history, but one we recovered from.
I was not a devoted Christian on September 11, 2001, but I tried to make sense of what happened. Even as a pastor, I struggle to make sense of why something like this had to happen. It's something that all Christians wrestle with. I encourage you not to shy away from those thoughts and feelings. Just remember that we have a God who loves us, even at times when we hurt the most.
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