Thirteen Years Later

On this dampish day, with the promise of fall weather moving in, I look out at the dark morning and am grateful for life. I’m grateful for my loved ones and I’m grateful for America. I am here because I had the good fortune to be born in this land of the free, as did my parents and grandparents. I’m afraid that most of the time, I take life, freedom, family for granted. I go along, day by day, expecting everything to remain the same. But sometimes, things change suddenly and unexpectedly, as they did on this day thirteen years ago for thousands of people.

Each of those persons in the hijacked airplanes, the twin towers, the Pentagon had hopes, goals, perhaps problems, things to do and people to see. Each of them had a story and each of them was a story and then, with no warning, their lives ended.

America and the whole world was shocked. People came running to help. People prayed. We were sad and angry and disbelieving. And today, we pause and look back and remember. I hope we never forget. As we enjoy our freedom today, we must also be vigilant and watchful against those who hate us, whose purpose and goal in life is to kill and destroy. As Edmund Burke said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”  

I hope, on this day, we remember the courage and the patriotism of that day thirteen years ago. I pray that we realize our only true protection is God and our faith in Him. And I hope that we don’t take freedom for granted, that we guard it and preserve it for generations to come.

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1).  May we remember that our true shelter and our true freedom come from God.