that morning was a beautiful sky and temperature in Versailles, Kentucky. I had arrived as usual to my office, a small remote building on the campus of the Methodist Childrens Home. Everyday routine of coffee, the TV turned onto the news, playing quietly in the background as I started my paperwork. I went about the business of setting up my plans as a counselor for children, I had several assessments later in the day. I remember for some reason, looking up at one point and noticed some reporters looking frantic; I turned the sound up to hear clearly what all the excitement was about. Shocked; a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. How awful, unbelievable that something like that could happen. A terrible accident. I immediately called my wife, working in Frankfort and told her to find a television. She went to a friends office and they watched together. I stopped all my plans, my schedule no longer existed. I prayed silently, hoping that as few lives as possible had been lost. I called a colleague and told him what had happened and then went to his office. I didnt want to be alone and watch this heart stopping tragedy. There were 4-5 of us gathered in front of his screen when the second plane hit. After a collective gasp..Silence. Stunned. Tears. Thats no accident Were under attack, I knew, everyone knew. Even before they finally fell, it was clear in my mind that there would be tremendous loss of life. As we all watched together; the towers fell. We all held hands and wept. My wife called. I do not remember her words...only her sobs. I asked if she was with her friends, she was. Later that morning, I went back to my office to get a flag. One I usually hung outside the porch of my house on Veterans Day. I went home and hung it above my door. The thing that I recall more than anything about that horrible day was how much I needed to be with others, even complete strangers. How I needed to be with my American family. Differences be damned. There was no politics, no social status, no religion, no anything except togetherness. The land that I love. Maybe thats where we will return for a moment today.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 12:32:03 +0000