Day 255: Lest I forget...

I know most all of us can recall where we were when the attacks of 9/11 occurred.  I remember sitting in my office cube in Long Beach.  Only a few of us early risers were at work at that time.  Chuck came by my office and said, "Hey, I just heard some plane crashed into the World Trade Center."  My first thought was it must have been someone in a small Cessna who had gotten off their flight path and lost control of their plane.  It didn't take long for word to spread that it was something much more serious and violent.  I didn't see the planes crash but I did see the towers fall.  Most everyone went home and I remember staying clued to the TV throughout the day and most of the night.  Those memories still seem so vivid to me.

But as time goes by I know for some the events of September 11th, 2001 are becoming a little bit of a distant memory.  It's weird to think we have grade school children who may only vaguely remember the attacks.  It won't be long when the events of that day will be taught in school where the students weren't even born then.  They'll look upon that day the same way many of us look at Pearl Harbor.  But this isn't just a history lesson.  I think I understand better how the survivors of Pearl Harbor feel now that I've witnessed something similar first hand, albeit on TV.  It's not just an attack on a few buildings and the killing of innocents.  It's an attack on mankind.  Regardless of our faith or religious dogma, we as a people are attacking ourselves and are slowly bringing about our own demise.

I can't begin to imagine the pain folks are still going through, having lost family or friends.  For many of them I'm sure these events must still feel very fresh and raw.  My thoughts and prayers go out to them and it's my hope that some level of closure can be attained.  And I also pray for those that would feel so desperate inside that doing something so heinous seems like a natural course of action.  There seems to be so much hatred out there.  I pray that some day we may be blessed with the strength, courage and compassion to put down our swords and find peace with each other.