September 11 Attacks: Five Years Later

September 11, 2001 is one of those dates that you will always remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when the terrorist attacks happened in New York City.

I was awakened by the telephone shortly before 9:00 AM on that morning. It was my mother calling from Detroit to see if I was watching the news. I turned on my television and changed the channel from ESPN, I went to sleep the night before after watching the late night edition of SportsCenter, and turned to NBC's Today which is what Mom was watching. As Mom was explaining that a plane had crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers, I was hearing Katie Couric and Matt Lauer talk about the pictures being broadcast at the time-- black smoke billowing from the tower after a plane had crashed into it. I thought it had been a small plane of some kind and with few details available at that time-- the crash had just happened minutes ago-- I waited for more information. Then suddenly, I saw another airplane come into view. This aircraft didn't appear to be a small personal aircraft, but a commercial airliner. In a matter of seconds, this second plane flew right into the other WTC tower. Clearly, something was not right. I said into the phone, "Mom, I have to go!" I hung up, jumped in the shower, got dressed, and raced to work.

As the morning progressed, a third plane was crashed into The Pentagon outside Washington, DC; a fourth plane was believed to be headed for the U. S. Capitol Building or possibly The White House but crashed into the ground in Pennsylvania; and back in New York City, less than two hours after the initial impacts, the World Trade Center towers collapsed. These were all devastating images to watch as thousands of people were killed in seseless acts of terrorism and other died in the aftermath.

Within months we saw many dramatic television shows write the attacks into their storylines in tasteful and sensitive ways. And now, five years later, we're beginning to see feature films related to the attacks. United 93 and World Trade Center, the most prominent of the projects. While both of these films have received stellar reviews for their storytelling, accurate depiction of events, and sensitivity to the material, I haven't been able to bring myself to view either because I'm just not ready to relive the horror. I don't know that I will ever be ready. It's just too painful. I made the mistake of turning on Today this morning and upon seeing the video of the hijacked planes flying into the towers mixed with live images of people visiting Ground Zero for today's memorial activities, found myself sobbing- almost uncontrollably- as if the attacks had just happened.

Life will never be the same after 9/11. As a society, we now look at people of Middle Eastern descent with suspicious eyes. Justified? Maybe. Does that make it right? No. We see all Muslims as radicals and threats to our global safety. Justifed? Maybe. Does that make it right? No. Air travel is hugely more inconvenient, with extensive and exhaustive new security guidelines. Justified? You bet! Does that mean we have to like it? No. We won't even talk about the psychological effects of 9/11 on our soceity-- young, old, and in between.

As we mark the fifth anniversary of the attacks, we pray for those killed and for their families who live on without their loved ones. We pray for our troops who continue to wage the War on Terror, however misguided some say the battle is. We pray for our President who believes he is making decisions in the best interest of the United States of America and the world. And, we pray for those who would wage terror on America and other parts of the world, for they are the ones who really need God's help.

Oh, Good Evening.