And the Next Day, and the Next.

This past weekend was the 9th anniversary of that fateful & tragic day in September.

Life does move on, doesn't it? I know that that day for my generation has been likened to assasinations of great leaders, and presidents from our parent's generation. I know that I have not forgotten about it, but the event has moved further to the back of my mind as the years have multiplied.

I was in the last semester of my junior year. (I only had two- I had three semesters as a senior, but that is a different post.) I was in class. I was taking a marketing class, when the professor came in to tell us what had happened. After class the whole business department gathered in the lobby of the building to watch as the second plane crash.

These were the days before this girl owned a cell phone, and you should have seen how many messages were on my machine when I got home! My mother had been sent home from her state government job, and had called about 15 times to check on me. My dad had called a few times too. We just didn't know what was going on, or what to expect next.

Dinner with friends followed. We all wanted to be comforted. I am not sure how we were able to get anything in with them hanging on the floor. Then the next day, then the next day, then the next. 9 years later the next day and the next.

Saturday morning, while trying my best to coif my hair to perfection, and listening to the news on my local NPR station I was turned to tears.

Still unable to wrap by brain around what really happened. Still trying to understand how there can be so much hate towards my culture. I am still troubled by all of it.

All of it.
The hate that those people had for our nation.
The hate that my fellow countrymen have for the religon that has been tried, and convicted in the court of public opinion.
My heart has been changed.
My heart wants the same forgiveness that God had for our whole world.
Now my heart breaks more for the ignorant hate that seems to have invaded our politics, our schools, and our religions around the world.
Won't you pray for them too? My daily struggle is to hope that the same forgivness that I have found in my religion can be found in the hearts of our brothers and sisters around the world.

God's Speed.