Never Forget

As always, today is a somber day, remembering the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

This morning I attended a women's Bible study at our church (it was the first day of this particular Bible study, a 9-week Beth Moore series about 1 and 2 Thessalonians).  As an ice-breaker, we quickly took turns recounting our personal experiences of 9/11/01; no one will ever forget exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news.

It was especially interesting to hear the stories from people who were in the DC-area (which was most of the women in the room) at the time of the attacks.  We live quite close to The Pentagon, and many people could feel their homes or offices shake when the plane hit.  It's hard for me to imagine being so close to the site of any of the attacks.  Looking back, I was sheltered from fear and feelings of imminent danger that day, perhaps because my home in Humble, TX was thousands of miles from the closest attack, and probably mostly because my school did not deviate from its normal routine.  I didn't know much about the Twin Towers as a high school senior, so, although I knew things were bad, I didn't immediately grasp the magnitude of lives lost and how such terrorism would launch a war.

It is hard to believe that we are 13 years removed from 9/11/01.  Those hijacked planes instantly changed us as a nation.  This anniversary will hopefully continue to serve as a compass of sorts, guiding us as Americans to carry out our important role as a great and God-fearing nation in this world.  May we never let a September 11th pass without commemorating the atrocities that cost thousands of American lives; may we never forget.