I did a few chores, which took me away from the TV set area. When I returned, I heard Megyn Kelly's interview with Bill Sammon - who briefly chronicled what had happened on that dreadful day and how President Bush reacted when he found out about the terrorist attack while sitting with a classroom filled with young children. Sammon mentioned that Bush thought about getting up abruptly and leaving, but in order to not cause panic and frighten the children, he waited until the teacher finished speaking.
I learned something new. According to Sammon, President Bush prayed as he got back on Air Force One, and he wept for those who died - and for our nation - which had been brutally attacked for the first time since Pearl Harbor.
It was interesting to hear some details about how many of the policies that President Bush put in place (which were constantly being criticized by the left) actually helped tremendously in preventing additional attacks over the following 7 1/2 years. Those who have been screaming about water boarding being "torture," should consider the torture that 2,974 people not only suffered from, but also DIED FROM on that dreadful day. No water boarded terrorist died. However, many additional pre-planned attacks were thwarted because of intense interrogation techniques.
The names of the heroes of Flight 93 were read at a memorial service held in Shanksville, PA. A bell tolled after the reading of each name. One woman, who started by stating, "my daughter..." and then read her name...got to me. I didn't catch the name of the daughter, because at that moment, the grief of that horrible day returned to me. My eyes welled up with tears and I sobbed.
The pain of that awful day runs deep; but I can't even imagine how deep the pain must still be for those who lost loved ones.
My two children were ages 17 and 14 when our nation was attacked by Islamic terrorists. In my post on 9/11/08, I wrote this in the comment section:
I was standing in the kitchen making breakfast for my two (then) high school aged children when I saw the first plane hit. I thought it may have been an accident - plane failure or pilot error. In the back of my mind, though, I wondered if it was done on purpose?
By the time my kids got to the table to eat, the second plane hit the towers. It was then that I knew it was terrorism.
The day only got worse...far worse.
Awful!!
We must NEVER FORGET!
September 12, 2008 9:20:00 AM PDT
WE MUST NEVER FORGET. In honor of all of those who lost their lives on that day, (including the heroic emergency responders who tried to get people out of the towers) and in respect for the families and friends who have to live with such loss for the rest of their lives - we must NEVER forget.
God bless all who mourn today - our entire nation, in fact. And may the families who grieve find comfort in Psalm 23 and the promises of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
*******
Former 9/11 posts:
Tuesday, September 11, 2007: Remembering September 11, 2001
Monday, September 11, 2006: 9/11 Survivor: Sense of Urgency to Share Gospel
Monday, September 12, 2005: The Man Who Predicted 9/11