Remembrances

Last week was the lead-up to the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks on the US. There were a lot of different aspects explored on all the news channels, so-much-so that it was difficult to avoid if one wanted to.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) usually goes in-depth on most stories, but they truly outdid themselves last week. One of their regular features on many stories is POV – Point of View. The CBC poses a question and viewers e-mail their responses. Last week, the question was “where were you on the morning of 9/11/2001?” Although I didn’t respond by e-mail, I thought about it as I heard what other people submitted.

At that time, I was preparing a book to go to print. We lived in Mississauga near the airport in a very nice two-bedroom apartment with a den. I was working from home and we had converted the den into my office. It was my habit to watch one of the morning news shows that ended at 9:00 am, and then start work. Of course, the first plane crash happened at 8:46 am, and I found I did not move from the couch for a quite a long time. The looks of shock on the faces of the morning staff and the tears they fought back is unforgettable. Immediately, I assumed it was terrorism, even though initially it was reported the plane might have just got off its flight path. When the second one hit the second tower at 9:03, I was certain.

I tried to e-mail the hubby to let him know what was going on, and if he had heard about it. What I didn’t know at the time was the first plane struck the building at the floor of his company’s head office. His boss in Toronto had been in those offices for a series of conference calls, and it is assume he was killed instantly, along with over 400 other company employees. A devastating day, to be sure, but that floor also housed the worldwide e-mail hub for their company. Within 24 hours, they had it all set up again, rerouting through their other offices around the world. I did not reach the hubby by e-mail that day, but he called me a little while later.

I was shocked by these events as I had never seen anything like it. The next day, we discovered there had been an airplane prepped at the Toronto International Airport for the same kind of action, the intent being to crash into office towers in downtown Toronto. I’m very glad some observant airport worker found the box cutters under the seats and alerted security. The plane never accomplished the intention of the hijackers. I’m doubly glad because the hubby was working in one of those office towers.

Many of the POV comments from last week expressed how deep their fear had been on that day ten years ago. One person said it was a fear like they had never known. Two friends of mine also expressed deep fear. Their world was no longer safe, and they didn’t know what would happen next. If this could happen in a relatively safe society, then the terrorism possibilities for even more horrific events were endless to their minds. I was certainly not feeling fear. Yes, the new “world order” after such an event was uncertain. We could no longer count on the previous level of safety. However, although it didn’t look like it from these events, I was certain God was still in control. I didn’t have any idea what He was going to accomplish out of this event, but I knew He had it all woven into a plan, and I trusted His plan. My friends were amazed at my lack of fear, and it gave me an opportunity to tell them why I was not afraid. One of them took it to heart and is still attending church. The other dismissed it.

I don’t know that I have any big ideas to share beyond my personal experience. I don’t hate Muslims because I know the majority of them don’t hold to the same ideas as the terrorists on violent judgment of the “infidel.” However, I do pray for them more consistently now.

Until next time, do not fear. God is in control…