Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. Psalm 91:1-3
On 9-10-2001, I was in New York City. I had been there for the weekend with my colleague Jenn with whom I co-partnered a fundraising business at the time. My plan was to stay an extra day, that Monday the 10th and leave on the 11th. But I made the decision to keep my original plans. Why? Were there angels tugging at the lapels of my jacket urging me to go home? I remember so vividly taking a photograph of the New York skyline that beautiful Sunday evening less than 48 hours from impact. Was it protection, or a boost of wisdom, or just a feeling as to why I left and didn’t stay? I look back now and can only tell you I do not have a fancy answer for this except to speculate that when the hand of God is upon you, does His protective grace guide in the absence of any knowing? Our hotel was near the attack site; we had meetings with vendors from whom we never heard again.
I wept like we all wept. I said hello to passer-bys in a world that suddenly felt very different. What had been important wasn’t as much. I grew anxious. People bought guns. I held my mother’s hand. I grieved the priceless loss of our people. That day, we were all brothers; and sisters. I marveled at the human bravery, the willingness to save, the desire to defeat inconceivable evil upon our soil with a simple act of helping another. I watched the ghost of fleeing souls covered in ash like buzzing evil perched to sting.
It was a time when we met war; no one was spared the ravage of deliberate hate. It was not distant. Like a seeking child, we found ourselves sliding our timid fingers in the fold of God’s wing because suddenly we didn’t know the way. And we fought, and we dug out, with a glance of hope, a sword of compassion, the stand of indignation, the ferocity of prayer, a mountain of lifting, a roar of fortitude. As one nation, we pushed back against fear that would try to conquer and paralyze, and said, “no more.”
And we saved each other, through acts of courage and the faith of survival—as one nation, under God, indivisible—as one. And we began to laugh again and came out from our holes and bent time back to the important things . . .
What is your story of 9-11? Where were you? What do you remember? Please tell your story in the comments below. We want to hear from you.
Love to all and God bless America.
Dianne Timmering,
Vice President of Spirituality
I was at home with my then 9 year old daughter – who was home sick that day – and my then 8 month old son. We sat on the couch and watched it all on TV as it happened.
My in-laws were overseas in Spain scheduled to come home that very morning, of all things. It was a long hard day trying to get in touch with them. They finally made it out a few days later.
I was at work, on that beautiful morning, blue skies, warm temperature. Our employee lounge had a TV where everyone had crowded around to hear the news as the first plane had already attacked. My first thought was that something was seriously wrong with this picture, since that’s a “no fly zone” and that this couldn’t be an accident. As we continued to watch and the second plane hit, I decided to leave work with a sickening feeling. I felt in my heart, that we didn’t know what else was going to happen and that I needed to leave to go and pick up my 8 year old son from school. Many people left work that day to do the same. How ironic that the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania had flown over Cleveland before turning around…
I was at Disney World in Florida with my daughter Ashley. We got the news while we were out on the Safara Ride which takes about 15 minutes. They were making the announcement that they were closing Disney World down. It was very scary, word out that the park could be on the list. We finally got off the ride and they took us back to our hotels were we had to stay. They totally closed Orlando, Fl. down, they were not letting anyone on the highways. I still have the Orlando newspaper showing the entire event. We helped another family out who could not get a flight out. We took them to Nashville, TN where they lived. To this day it is very much in my mind and also my daughter’s. It was a very scary day.
I will never forget 9/11. I was in a marketing meeting at the bank where I was a loan officer. The lady that was doing the seminar was named Wendy. During our start of the meeting, a teller came in and told us a plane had crashed into the twin towers. We resumed our meeting astonished. Then shortly we were informed that a plane had crashed into the pentagon. Wendy burst into tears. Her daughter worked there.
We adjourned our meeting and went to the lobby. The coldness of evil could be felt in the empty building. The bank was empty of customers and employees were glued to tv sets and computers. I called my wife and we just wanted to be together and mourn.
As I walked past our bank president’s office, I stopped to ask him how he was doing. As he turned his chair around, huge tears were rolling down his face. I stepped into his office and gently closed the door. He shared that as a child he remembered nuclear war drills in school and how the sirens and gas masks terrified him. He said “I am afraid”. I had never had an opportunity to share faith with him before. I explained how God’s great mercy and grace protects us and that He is in control. I shared his fear, but that by trusting God, I was also at peace.
I really think that the fear of the unknown or “what’s next” is what overwhelmed so many. But really day to day we don’t know what will happen, but knowing God is in control seems to make it easier to accept. I hope we don’t focus on that killing others is the answer, but rather on trusting in God’s authority and direction for our lives as a free nation.
Chaplain Steve McKinney
During that time I was an over the road truck driver. The week previous to 9/11, I was making a pickup at the New Jersey Port, which is along the Hudson River across from New York City. I had taken pictures of the New York skyline. The morning of 9/11, I had a couple days off and was at my Mom’s house on the computer playing Euchre, When people started talking about the towers being on fire. That is when I turned on the tv and watched in horror as the towers fell. I remembered that I had taken those pictures of the skyline a week previous, so I took them to Rite Aid that afternoon and had them developed. On the back of the pictures is stamped 9/11/2011. I went back to New Jersey Port a month after that, and took pictures of the skyline without the towers. Really put things into prespective.
On September 11, 2001 I was just south of the Atlanta Airport attending a series of corporate meetings. Prior to the meeting we were watching the first tower burn as the second plane hit. The meetings continued as planned but we were given updates about every 30 minutes. The CEO addressed only the most pertinent issues of the day and we dismissed around 12:00pm. The events unfolding on the TV suddenly became real life as Pilots and Airline Attendants were pouring into the hotel with tears and palpable anxiety. It felt odd to drive on a basically deserted interstate, but the one thing that took my breath was when I looked up and the traffic alert signs stated stated, “NATIONAL EMERGENY-Downtown Atlanta Evacuated.” Later that week I had to travel back to Atlanta, as I left my son, handed me his backpack and said, “Mom, you need to put some stuff in this just in case something else happens.” I realized then that even for those far removed from the actual tragedies, security had become uncertainty.
On 9/11, I was at work with the USPS. Many people began to express anger and sad behavior. I had no idea what happened. Later, I saw a male gentleman crying, I asked what was wrong and he stated that many people were dead because of a terrorist act in New York, I expressed little emotion until I came home that day and saw the terrible events of that day on television. That was a very sad day. The Diversity Committee compiled a poetry book written from over 400 employees titled America Millennium One and this is the poem which I contributed.
“Remembering You” attached
Remembering You
It’s sad we know, losing someone you love so
But it was out of your control and it is hard to let go
Yes, it was unexpected, the way they were taken from you
Please don’t blame yourself; there was nothing you could do
If only that, if only this, would not have stopped the terrorists
The words you could have said that day; God knows what a list
We hope that your hearts will heal of your pain, anger, or hate
Toward the wickedness that took your relative, friend, parent, or mate
You have our deepest sympathy; our arms are open wide
We are sorry that your loved ones are no longer by your side
Never doubt for one minute that their lives were in vain
It is because of your loved ones that there has been great change
There has been great change in our attitudes, when parting for the day
Some have come to realize that love is the only way
Some have even come to cherish the precious gift of life
The loss of your loved ones describes a meaning of sacrifice
They made it in to work that day, happy, sad, or ill
That day of 9/11 when they were cruelly killed
It’s employees like them who helps keep our country running
Perfect attendance, outstanding performance, helpful, kind, and loving
No one knows if your heartbreak will ever mend
But let the deaths of your loved ones, be a day of Remembering When
Remembering when this country came together and united in prayer
Leaders, friends, and strangers; all collars and colors were there
We appreciate the rescuers for an excellent job well done
They expressed divine love, saving lives, yet risking their own
What a heartbreaking tragedy, but this stands and forever holds
The ones who helped and rescued will also be remembered as
America’s Millennium One Heroes
Chaplain Jayne West
I will never forget that day. Me and my husband Larry and his parents were on a vacation together in Orlando, FL. We had gone to Perkins to eat breakfast. When we entered the restaurant, the hostess told us that one of the twin towers in NY had been hit with a plane. We went with others to a side room where a TV was mounted on the wall and started watching the entire tragedy unfold before our eyes. When the Pentegon was hit the hostess began screeming and crying saying that her brother worked there. We and others tried to console her. She began to make calls to her relatives to see if anyone had heard from him and then was taken home. I remember the fear, anger and helpless feelings I had as I watched the towers fall. How could this happen in our country? We were all filled with sadness and unbelief the rest of our trip. We mostly stayed in our hotel rooms watching the news and talking on the phone with our family members back home about the possibility of not being able to get a flight back as scheduled. We did get our flight and returned home. This was the last vacation we got to spend with my father-in-law. The following year, December 18, 2002 he lost his battle with cancer. The first days of that last vacation with him were filled with fun and memories. The events of 9/11 and the death of my father-in-law have taught me that the most important thing we can do in life is cherish the time we have with our loved ones make precious memories with them.