A Remembrance

Ten years ago this morning, I was in my office at Skidmore College in upstate New York.  The semester was off to a brand-new start, and I was assisting students with questions about studying abroad.  I was looking forward to starting my class on Shakespeare that afternoon, one more course toward earning my undergraduate degree in English.  It was a day full of optimism and promise.  Working in International Programs, we were bringing the larger world to our students, bridging cultures, expanding communities.  I remember it was an especially beautiful morning, with a bright, blue sky, a glorious example of a perfect late summer day.  Little did we know, that morning, that the world was about to become a very different place, that travel abroad, or travel in general, would change forever, and that the skies above us would be silenced for weeks to come.

Shortly after we opened our doors, a co-worker entered the office and announced that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center.  At first, I couldn't comprehend that message.  It seemed too huge, too improbable.  I thought it must have been a terrible accident.  We turned on the television in our conference room, and as a crowd of us were watching The Today Show's coverage of the event, we were collectively horrified at the images and shocked as we saw a second plane crash into the other tower.  It was then that we all realized, along with everyone else in the world witnessing this event, that this was no accident.  It was much more evil, and much, much worse.

That day is forever etched in the minds of anyone old enough to remember.  The testimonies and memories aired on television and radio all this week bring the events of September 11, 2001, back with searing reality.  It is almost too hard to take it all in again, to resurrect the pain, the heart ache, and the lost promise of that day.

God Bless all those who lost their lives, or lost loved ones, and also to those who lost hope that day. 

God Bless our Armed Forces who together work so diligently to keep our homeland safe. 

"Peace be with you."