Remembering 9-11

It's hard to believe that 8 years have passed since that fateful day in 2001 when the skies of NYC were darkened with fear and horror.

I was supposed to be in NYC that day. I had planned a trip to visit NYC from Sept 9 - 12, 2001. My plan was to depart NYC on September 12th for the Middle East.

I tried and tried to make that NYC trip work, but I just couldn't fit it in. I've often wondered about it. I could very well have been in NYC on that day. Something kept me from being there. At times I'm grateful, and other times I feel like maybe I was supposed to be there.

Because I couldn't get my schedule to accommodate being in NYC from Sept 9 - 12th, my plan ended up being to fly on September 12, 2001 from Seattle to NYC, then on to the Middle East. That didn't happen.

I woke up on September 11th, 2001 and checked my phone messages. Often I received calls from people in the Middle East over night (because of the time difference). I wasn't surprised that on the day before my trip there, I would have a message waiting for me.

The message that waited for me, however, was not from the middle east. It was from my aunt in Oregon, who was terrified that I was flying THAT DAY, Sept 11, 2001. She said, "We hope to GOD that you are home... and that you stay that way!"

We all know what happened that day. Something horrible. Something shocking. Something unthinkable. Terror reached the unreachable shores of America. Suddenly, the world became a lot smaller.

The horror of that day was something that we will never forget. To the people in NYC, my heart goes out to you all. It was such a disturbing and wounding experience.

We all remember that day, and my hope continues to be that we all realize the world is one family. Though this was our first true experience with terrorism in this country, the rest of the world has been experiencing such violence for a long time. We are part of the human family. We are not immune to the horrors of this world.

My hope and prayer continues to be that we, as Americans become as proud of being part of the human family, as we are of being part of the American family.

Say a prayer for all those who lost loved ones in 9-11 today. Also say a prayer for everyone in this world who is touched by violence, oppression and injustice. It's all related.