9-11

I headed out to the car, late as usual, but hot chocolates in hand as always, hoping to make up for my perpetual tardiness to everyone in the carpool.  I don't remember anything about seminary that early morning, but I remember the snippets from the radio talking about some trade center building, whatever that was.

Meagan and I headed to our locker to pick up our IB European beast of a book.  We met Ross Barnes on our way to class and walked into what we thought would be another morning full of Nazis and Fascists.  As we entered the room, everyone was watching something on the television screen.  A plane zoomed into a skyscraper and Ross shouted, "Cool!  What movie is this?"  Mr. Chamberlain with his perfectly groomed goatee and squarely knotted tie said nothing.  It was then that we realized the gravity of the situation.  

We spent the rest of the day watching the news in every single class.  We watched the second tower fall and the planes crash over and over and over. I had no idea what the World Trade Center was, I only knew that it was financially important.  I understood the seriousness of the pentagon.  By 5th period, we had had about all we could take.  I remember Mrs. McGregor, my geometry teacher snapping and yelling, "That's it!" as she flipped the TV off.  We talked about what had happened and wondered what was to come.

I went to work at my mom's scrapbook store that afternoon.  I was the only employee there all afternoon.  Literally, the only people who entered the doors that day asked if we had flags for sale or stickers with flags.  It was very interesting.  I remember listening to President Bush on the radio and feeling that regardless of what happened, everything would be okay.  I remember dropping to my knees behind the cash register and offering a prayer of gratitude for everything I had been blessed with and praying on behalf of those who were suffering for their own lives or searching for those they loved.  I felt an incredible peace and an overwhelming feeling of love.  

Some thought that 9-11 represented a physical proof that God does not exist, or couldn't possibly love us.  But I learned that day, that Heavenly Father cares for each one of us.  He allows people to make their own choices and horrible things are sometimes the result.  But on that day, I had never been more proud to be an American, and I learned that the prayer of even an insignificant junior in high school was something worth listening to for Him.  For awhile, we saw a stronger country.  Everywhere you looked, in every window, on every car, you could read the words United We Stand.  That meant something.  People took a step back and reevaluated their lives, if only for a brief time.  Religion became a priority.  Family became a priority.  Patriotism was viewed as a noble thing again.  Mr. Wenz, our choir director threw our entire fall program out the window and devoted the whole concert to patriotic hymns and anthems.  It was amazing.

Ten years later...where do we stand?  Is it still united?  Our country has had some interesting twists and turns since then.  Since 9-11, I have graduated from high school and college, served a two year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Spain, gotten married, and started my second year as an elementary school teacher.  I have grown as an individual in countless ways and made many more mistakes. We mourn the tragedy of 9-11, but is our current situation any better?  

I love my life and I adore the man I spend each day with.  I have nothing to complain about there.  I have never been happier.  I just question those who look at 9-11 as altogether horrific event.  It was indeed a tragedy greater than I hope to ever witness again.  I feel however, that it did serve a valuable purpose and helped many, like myself, to see the world from a new perspective.  The paradigm shift that inevitably made its way into the American life was needed.  I only pray that we can remember the events of that day and the feelings and changes it brought about so that we do not need to be compelled once again to turn to God.  

We have been promised that we will have this as a land of peace and prosperity as long as we keep the commandments of God.  It is my hope that we can live up to our part of that promise.

I will always remember what 9-11 taught me.  We have a loving Heavenly Father.  He watches over each one of us.  He loves us.  Trials tend to make us better that we were before we are faced with them. Let us always remember.

Read this excellent article written by Thomas S. Monson about the spiritual reconstruction of 9-11.