I was off work sick. Curled up on the sofa, watching a film. I pressed the ‘pause’ button and went to the kitchen to make another Lemsip. But by the time I got back to the sitting room the player had gone asleep and the telly had kicked back in. “Grrr…. I hate when that happens!” The inconvenience of it all…

I saw the ‘Breaking News’ banner flashing as I fumbled with the remote control and as I went to press ‘play’ I looked up and saw the two towers with the plume of smoke coming out of one of them. As the commentary continued I sat at the edge of the sofa just shaking my head slowly saying, ‘No… way… no… way… ‘ then, well I thought my heart would stop when the 2nd plane hit the other tower.

I watched the telly for hours and days afterwards as the towers collapsed and the story of the other planes unfolded. The world has never been the same since. Even now, many long frustrating queues in airports are because no one knows if, when, where something like this will happen again. But listening now to the victims’ names being read out, one by one – it’s clear that the love and strength of those left behind is far more powerful than any force used to bring destruction that day.

On the Official 9/11 Commemoration Website, the 9/11 Memorial President Joe Daniels says of th2 11th anniversary,

“Despite the unimaginable tragedy of 9/11 itself, this day is also about the spirit of unity that came in the aftermath. It showed us that the best of humanity can overcome the worst hate. It gave us hope for the future.”1

Amen to that!

1 Taken from http://www.911memorial.org The full text of Joe Daniels’ message can be found here