Remember

My brother wrote quite an eloquent post about this day here. He inspired me to think hard and remember that day 10 years ago.

10 years ago, I was in my first semester of college at HPU. I had 8am classes on most days and was sitting in Math for Elementary teachers taught by Mrs. Bird. I don't remember what we were learning about, but I know that someone came in and told her that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. We stopped and prayed. A girl asked permission to leave class, her mom was on a plane on her way to NYC that day. But once she left, with a hush of solemnity, class continued. Next I headed to Music for Children with Dr. Rosine. We learned a little more from people who were just getting to school. It wasn't one tower, it was both. And more and more trickled in. Finally at 10am, the school cancelled classes for the rest of the day.

I walked slowly back to my dorm room. There was a crowd of people gathered around the big TV in the Veda lobby. Watching the recap of the plane hitting the second tower. And the towers coming down. And my world stopped. I found my cell phone and started checking in with family. I wanted nothing more than to hear the voices of my dearest ones and know that they were ok. Talked to my sister. Talked to my brother. Couldn't get ahold of my parents for ANYTHING. They had taken an empty nest vacation up to Colorado and were out of cell phone range. I have never wanted to talk to my parents as much as I did that day.

Here I was, a month in to living on my own, and thrust into the biggest moment of history in my lifetime thus far. I was scared and nervous. And all I wanted was to hear my Dad say it was going to be ok. It was several days later before I heard their voices and even longer after that before I got the "Daddy Hug" my heart had been waiting for.

I remember having a prayer service at Mimms Auditorium and them sharing how students at the school had been directly effected by the crash. I remember a friend who's mom worked for American Airlines and how her world turned upside down and got insanely busy.

So I will remember and never forget. It's interesting how life brings up times of remembrance. On the morning after Osama BinLaden was killed, my 6th graders came in talking about it. I stopped that morning and shared with them my experience of September 11th. Much as I did here. They were silent as they listened to my story. Every. Single. Word. They wanted to hear about that day and why this man who died was important. (Doing the math, they were 2 or less in 2001). And I will always remember sitting on my stool in the front of my classroom and going back with them.  They listened more intently that day than they did any day before or after. Because they got it. One day, in their lives, a day like September 11 will happen. And it will define their generation much like September 11 has defined mine. Life before and after will be drastically different. And I just hope and pray that they turn to the One who knows all. Is before all and is in all.

"He is before all things and in HIM all things hold together." Colossians 1:17