story6812.xml

story6812.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-12

I woke up on September 11, 2001 with fond memories of the days before: my Mom had spent 3 weeks with us, visiting her grandchildren. (We have five sons, aged 2 through 9 at the time.) On September 10th, we sadly put her on a plane going back to her home in South Carolina. It was a beautiful day on September 10th; the sun shone brilliantly, and it was gorgeous outside, so we spent the entire time before she had to get on her plane touring New York City, concluding our visit with the Twin Towers and World Trade Center area. I remember the tears that flowed down my face when I turned around and left her at the gate of the airport, wishing there was some way that I could keep her here. I called her at home late that night to make sure she got home - she didn't. At midnight, I was frantically calling Spirit Airlines to find out what could possibly have happened. Two hours later, Mom called to say that she was okay. Her plane was delayed on the runway, and she didn't leave New York until hours after we left her. So when I got to work on September 11th and heard that two planes had been hijacked and flown into the Twin Towers, I was not only horrified, but eternally grateful that by God's grace the terrorists chose September 11th and not September 10th to attack us. My heart wrenches for the families of those who were lost. I can say that I almost know your pain. I pray that you find the peace of God, which passes all understanding, and that His perfect love finds a place in you.