It was not until just before we left that Jennifer wanted to show pictures of Ground Zero. They were able to tour New York City while they were there. I have been there 3 times and feel like the town is a part of me. This blog is basically my tribute to the World Trade Center and the lives lost.
The World Trade Center took 11 years to build (1966 - 1977). It was built to house anyone that dealt with world trade. The towers were built right in the heart of the business district of New York City. From anywhere in New York, you could see the towers in skyline. This became the symbol of New York. Every tourist went to see the towers. I acutally had the opportunity to tour the towers back in 1994. It is an amazing building with 110 stories. Flags from every country aligned the ceiling in the foyer. Many different nationalities entered and departed the front doors. Just in my 10 minutes of standing in the lobby, it seemed like over a thousand people enter or departed the towers.
On September 11, 2001, New York City life was changed forever. It no longer had the towers watching over the city. Terrorist ran planes into the towers totally demolishing them. I will never forget the day I heard the news. I was sitting in the cafeteria at UAM eating breakfast. News interuppted the college channel that was always playing. I thought, Oh my God, a plane just accidently hit one of the towers. That is scary. Then an hour later (I think) another plane hit the other tower. This was something serious. New Yorkers were in panic. The homeland was just invaded. Everyone was getting angry. I couldn't understand it.
I can remember calling my Mom and she said, "Wow, this makes my life and illness nothing compared to what these families are going through. I shouldn't complain about what God has handed me. Look at the millions of people who have lost their lives." You have to take into consideration my Mom died of lung cancer the following February. She made me realize that I should never complain about my life and how God has hand misfortune after misfortune. That is just not the case. I still have a reason to be here. Here she was dying and all she could think about was the families of the victims. I hope to one day be that strong as she was.
I had the opportunity to go back to New York City in 2005. I knew that there was nothing there, but I never realized that NOTHING was there. There is just a hole where the towers should be. Fences had but erected to keep people from walking into the area. On top of the fences, plaques have been placed telling the story of the 9/11 events minute by minute. People stopped and prayed. All over New York you hear traffic sounds. It is like when you hit Ground Zero, there is a silence that erupts. Everyone is showing respect to the lives lost. You can truly feel God's presence in this one place. It is amazing how he can use horrific events to wake people up the the realization that we need God.
3 comments:
I am so happy that you are posting about this,I think too many people are not remembering and for alot it seems like a bad dream,but it did happen and we should remember in memorium of all those who did lose their lives.
oh, i so remember, we had jonah the morning after. i watched the towers fall live on tv. i remember matt being sent home from work because he worked at nctr (at the arsenal in p.b.) i cried all day, and remember the lines to get gas because of the scare. i remember my doctor checking me that day and his eyes looking cry-e. i remember driving to little rock to have him and noticing there were no planes overhead. i remember telling matt i couldn't watch anymore news the day after, the morning jonah was new to us. months later i began to be able to watch replays for the first time and it was like it had just happened. i remember thinking twice about my new baby in this new world. and most of all, i remember driving home after my check-up on the 11th, before having jonah, crying, and i noticed out the window all of these little yellow butterflies everywhere. (i now know they are abundant in late summer/early fall - which is a great reminder every year - look for 'em.) and i remember thinking, "but it's so beautifully blue today and those butterflies are so beautiful, how can it be a beautiful day?" and then i thought, "because God's world (and love) goes on until He says it doesn't. He controls it. and he allows beauty, even today."
Oh I remember that day so vividly.. madison was just 3 months old and I remember her giggilng in the background as I sat and cried watching the tv. I held her so close, so afraid of what else might follow.. I've never felt that unsafe in my entire life. It is so so sad that so many lives were lost, and so many families broken that day...
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