 |
| image by John Skelson http://www.silverprintphotography.com/911lights.html |
It's hard to believe it's been ten years since this tragic event occurred. I can remember with incredible precision exactly where I was standing and what I was doing when the news came across the Internet. It was the one time I was happy the other department supervisor was taking some time to access Yahoo News. I can remember him saying "something happened at the Twin Towers". Even my mother could remember leaving for work having just heard "there was an accident involving a plane in New York."
As the events unfolded, we watched video pipe through Supervisor Joe's computer showing the plane hitting the first tower. And when the second strike happened, it became blatantly obvious this was no accident. A TV was rolled into our small cafe and all us workers piled in to view what was going on. Horrified, we sat there without saying a word - the only time our busy crew of lab techs and supervisors fell completely silent and still. It almost seemed as if the world around us came to a complete stop with all attention directed on the events happening with each passing moment.
With the anniversary of 9/11 upon us, I'll be out on another all-day whale watch in the waters of Cape Cod Bay. It will be a different kind of trip knowing there will be events all around to remember those heroic souls lost. And I know I certainly will take a moment to pay tribute to our fallen Americans and all the soldiers who are still fighting for peace.
This morning on the morning news, Dan Holdridge tells his story of being at the Pentagon. I was most impressed with his words to a group of students at Albertus Magnus college:
"No one's going to solve their problems by burning of Bibles or other materials. People are going to solve problems when they put down hand grenades and pick up hand shakes."
Such wise words - when will we all learn to just get along? Why can't we all learn to live in peace?
Dan Holdridge's WTNH televised interview:
http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/new_london_cty/ct-native-living-on-a-pentagon-prayer
At 8:42 AM EST on Sunday, September 11, 2011, please honor our lost brothers and sisters with a moment of silence and pray for all the world's peoples to find the strength to one day set aside all differences and create a world of peace for all.
