STRENGTH THROUGH TRAGEDY
TODAY IS A DAY
FILLED
WITH PAIN AND TRAGEDY.
IT IS A DAY
WE WILL REMEMBER
IN HISTORY
AS A TIME OF TEARS.
TODAY IS A DAY
THAT TIME
STOOD STILL
ALL OVER THE WORLD.
TODAY IS THE DAY
WE TOOK PAUSE
TO LOOK AT OUR LIVES....
OUR CHILDREN,
FAMILY,
FRIENDS,
HOMES,
OUR VERY FREEDOM,
AND THE WORLD AROUND US
IN A WAY WE
NEVER
QUITE LOOKED AT IT BEFORE.
AND POSSIBLY
WILL NEVER
LOOK AT IT AGAIN.
TODAY,
MANY OF US
WHO HAVE FORGOTTEN
HOW TO PRAY.
FELL TO OUR KNEES.
AND WEPT.
CRYING OUT TO GOD.
FOR MERCY.
FOR FORGIVENESS.
FOR PEACE.
TODAY,
MANY LIVES WHERE LOST.
AND MANY MORE
WILL BE COUNTED DEAD.
I GRIEVE FOR THESE LIVES.
I GRIEVE FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
AND I GRIEVE
FOR LIVES THAT WILL BE LOST
IN RETRIBUTION
FOR THIS ACT OF TERRORISM
AGAINST
OUR
SISTERS AND BROTHERS.
A FEW SHORT MILES
FROM MY HOME,
THE WORLD TRADE CENTER
WAS OBLITERATED
FROM
THE FACE OF THE EARTH
IN A MASSIVE FIREBALL
OF
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.
I WATCHED
IN TERROR
AS
HUMAN BEINGS
PLUNGED
FROM THIS BUILDING
IN A DESPERATE ATTEMPT
TO ESCAPE
THIS
TOWERING INFERNO ,
ONLY
TO PLUNGE
TO THEIR DEATHS.
A
STEADY BLACK CLOUD
OF SMOKE, FIRE, AND TOXIC GAS FUMES
HUNG OVER THE CITY OF NEW YORK,
LIKE AN ATOMIC EXPLOSION.
INNOCENT LIVES LOST.
I WATCHED IN HORROR,
PRAYING THAT MY COUSIN,
WHO IS A PILOT,
WAS NOT FLYING
ON
ONE OF THESE AIRLINES TODAY.
YET
COMING TO A SUDDEN REALIZATION....
SOMEONE'S
BROTHER,
COUSIN,
SISTER,
FATHER,
MOTHER,
NIECE
OR
OTHER FAMILY MEMBER
WAS.
THERE IS
NO
ESCAPING THIS FACT.
TODAY
WE ALL
LOST
FAMILY MEMBERS.
AND
POSSIBLY
BEFORE THIS IS OVER....
MANY MORE
LIVES WILL BE LOST.
WHAT CAN I DO?
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
PRAY?
GET ANGRY?
MOURN?
GRIEVE?
BE FRIGHTENED?
PRAY............................
FOR
WHEN ALL
OF OUR OTHER EMOTIONS
HAVE EXHAUSTED THEMSELVES.
THERE IS BUT ONLY ONE
WE CAN DEPEND.
PRAY............................
FOR WHEN TODAY
GETS DARK,
AND TOMORROW
SEEMS BLEAK.
AND THE FUTURE
BECOMES
EVEN MORE UNCERTAIN.
THE
ONLY THING
THAT WILL
REMAIN CONSTANT
FOR US
TO DO
IS
PRAY............................
PRAY FOR WHAT IS LOST.
PRAY FOR WHAT REMAINS.
THERE IS
SOMETHING
THAT YOU
CAN DO.
YOU MAY NOT
BE ABLE TO HELP
RESCUE OUR DYING.
YOU MAY NOT
BE ABLE TO HELP
BURY OUR DEAD.
YOU MAY NOT
BE ABLE TO HELP
REBUILD OUR HOMES.
YOU MAY NOT
BE ABLE TO FILL
THE VOID
OF A MOTHER,
FATHER,
SISTER,
BROTHER,
OR FAMILY MEMBER
WHOSE DIED THIS DAY.
YOU MAY NOT
BE ABLE TO GIVE
PEACE TO A HEART
THAT WILL BE
FOREVER BROKEN.
ALL
YOU CAN DO...
IS
PRAY...............................
I GUESS
THE EASIEST WAY
TO DO THIS
IS TO SAY...
WHEN YOU GET THIS E MAIL.
JUST TAKE A BRIEF MOMENT.
AND TALK TO GOD.
ITS NOT A LOT TO ASK.
SOMETIMES WE FORGET,
REALLY THAT'S ALL PRAYING IS.
TALKING TO GOD.
ONE OTHER THING.
ITS QUITE POSSIBLE
THAT
HE
WILL BE
REALLY GLAD
TO HEAR FROM YOU.
MAYBE.....
HE
HASN'T HEARD
FROM
YOU
IN AWHILE.
AND
IM SURE
TODAY
HE
IS GRIEVING TOO.
BECAUSE TODAY....
MANY
OF
HIS
CHILDREN DIED.
ALWAYS KNOW
MY FRIENDS,
THAT TODAY
I HOLD
EACH
AND
EVERYONE OF YOU
IN
MY HEART
AND
I
VALUE
YOUR GIFT
OF
FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE.
