Reflections on September 11, 2001

Reflections
on
Today's Tragedy
September 11, 2001

Thoughts on a Terrorist Incident

When I was able to absorb the full magnitude of what it meant that the planes hit the World Trade Center towers, I thought of the verse in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (KJV). I could not fit this evil act into the “All things” of this verse. How could these acts work for any kind of good, Christian or not?

Then people began to respond. A call for blood donors in New York City, brought hundreds of people who were willing to wait four or five hours in order to donate. A call in Harrisburg to fill a truck of supplies for the victims in New York, resulted in enough supplies to fill five trucks. Personal barriers dropped everywhere, to the point that strangers could discuss this situation wherever they happened to be, with whomever happened to be there. People geographically distant from New York and Washington DC were unashamedly crying their eyes out for the horror, destruction and apparent death that they saw before them, so vividly displayed on television. People were out doing things to help because they felt helpless. They wanted to be of some use in helping their fellow human beings. The primary thing that we all did was pray. Spontaneous and organized prayer services were held all during the crisis. In addition, a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance was held. There was little concern for political correctness. Everyone needed to seek solace from God.

A few days later, people were trying to “get back to normal.” Normal in our community is having a neighbor a few houses away, that has lived in the neighborhood for ten years and I have never met. “Normal” is being weary of a stranger in a supermarket checkout line who spontaneously starts a conversation. “Normal” is seeing a volunteer for a good cause having to strive to get people to listen to an appeal, with minimal response. I wasn’t sure I wanted to “get back to normal.”

I thought about this later. I thought about which of these scenarios would be most pleasing to God. People unified, generous, loving and pulling together for a common cause or people who are separate, independent and suspicious of each other under “normal” circumstances.

If I were God and I saw people acting properly during crises, then what those people may need is more crises. We all have crisis events in our lives. Our house is damaged by fire. A popular member of our extended family dies. A loved one is injured in an automobile accident. The electricity goes off in the neighborhood overnight. A train wreck in a nearby city. A close friend is killed in a plane crash. An earthquake, flood or devastating storm occurs in a distant locale. These are examples of crises that bring out qualities in us that we do not normally display. Our reaction to crisis may be what God would like to be “normal” for us. Maybe He is showing us what it would be like if we really loved one another. Could this be a little taste of Heaven? It is tragic that so many people died in this crisis. Perhaps it took this level of death and destruction to bring America to its knees; to seek God unashamedly; and to love one another, even if it is for just a few days.

Henry C. Adams

September 19,2001

****************************

OUR FREEDOM HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY....

Our freedom to feel at peace. Our freedom to feel safe.

We all know that we have to use caution when walking the streets at night, keeping an eye out all around us. We all know we have to lock up our houses at night to protect our families. We have to keep a watchful eye on our children while in parks and shopping malls. The freedom of peace and safety here in America was altered a long time ago.

However these recent terroristic acts have forced us into a heightened level of caution. We don't even know what we as Americans should be cautious of. We hear other places were targeted. Unspecified Sports Arenas, an unspecified place in Atlanta...and literally, who knows what else was targeted?? We wonder when and where and if new terrorists will surface. We have lost the feeling of peace and security that we as Americans have enjoyed without second thought.

I'm flying to California this week. My anxiety is higher than I expected. But what do I do? Cancel my trip? Never fly again? That's what I would like to do, but I know deep in my heart that I can't. President Bush tells us as Americans we can't run and hide...we can't give in. He has shown such bravery himself. He must fear for his own personal safety and yet he attends a well publicized church service to honor the dead and their families. He exposes himself by going in person to thank and show support to those wonderful firemen, policemen, volunteers and the others who are dedicated to the efforts in Washington,DC, New York, and Pennsylvania. to search for survivors, recover the dead, and clean up the mess. Other leaders who are being hunted go into hiding. No one knows where they are. Do I mention our prime suspect here, Bin Lauden?

So I am going on my trip and putting my faith in our government and the security they are providing. I wonder if now is the safetest time to fly in an airlplane? Will it be just as safe a year from now? We must support our country in doing whatever it must to put an end to terrorism in these United States forever...not just in the weeks ahead. We need to do this for all Americans. We need to be given the freedom of peace and security back. When the luxury of flying to visit loved ones, or to do business, or to take vacations is taken away from us and replaced with unnerving fear...what do we do? This is the predicament we are in, and one I am facing in the short week ahead.

The co-pilot of the second plane that was hijacked and unmercifully flown into the heart of the second WTC tower graduated one year behind me at Hershey. This confirms for me that no one is immune from terrorists. We all have to be concerned. It has struck too close to home.

Keep Praying.

Janice Foltz

September 15, 2001

****************************

Regarding Today's Tragedy

I believe these events are a wake up call for serious introspection by the American government of its policies and the affect of those policies have on other countries and other people. Each of us should reflect on our own inner selves, on what do we really believe about ourselves and about others. How have those beliefs resulted in actions that may seem right to us but, in reflection did not help others, or at least could have been more positive for others? In times of crisis, we always pull together against a common enemy. We enjoy the few days of camaraderie with people we do not know at all or people we do not know well. Perhaps God's answer to our stubborn independence is more crises.

Henry Adams

September 14, 2001

****************************

Dear John,

It is with heavy hearts we as Canadians have watched the horrors unfold. It is indeed mind numbing. We are reminded of how small our global village is, as we try to track down business associates, family and friends; as we queue up to give blood and ready our ambulances to help you; as we do our best to help thousands of stranded travellers in our cities. My son works in a resort in Muskoka, 2 1/2 hours north of Toronto. Yesterday they shuttled stranded people from Toronto to the resort all day. My brother is stranded in Montreal yet relieved that his 3 business partners who were in the Trade Centre managed to get out. That was good news this morning...news we realize that many will not receive. My cousin in New York city managed to get word to us late last night.

Please know our thoughts and prayers are with you. We pray for victims and families, for children who will have perhaps lost both parents, for emergency personnel trying to help others and wondering about their own loved ones while trying to deal with the stress of seeing such trauma. We pray for your leaders who indeed are making awesome decisions and those who will need to follow orders when they come.

God be with us all and be our strength.

Joanne McFarland

September 12, 2001

****************************

Hello Parents and Friends,

By now I am sure that everyone has heard something of the tragic events of this Tuesday, September 11. I had the interesting opportunity to be in Somerset today only a very few miles from the Pennsylvania crash site.

Since I generally do not listen to radios while traveling, I was unaware of the news until reaching my meeting in Somerset. However, the gravity of the situation soon came to me with full and almost overwhelming force.

During the three hour trip home on the Turnpike from our canceled session I listened intently to the radio broadcasts. As expected, there was a wide variety of updates, stories and interviews. There were also mixed in among these many opinions as to what the next move for the United States should be.

Some indicated that war has been declared on our country, others called for swift retaliation against those who caused these acts of aggression upon us, still others felt we should destroy cities in those countries from which these actions were allegedly generated.

I will not try to tell anyone how to think about this and perhaps these incidents go beyond the realm of the Parent Seminar. All I can think of, however, is that an invitation has been placed before the people of America. All of us from the Parent Seminar, I believe, have a specific understanding of what an invitation is and what it means.

These acts of terrorism are undeniably horrible and the injury and loss of life incalcuable in terms of human value. The perpetrators have attempted to victimize each of us in America through seemingly senseless violence. I do not at all counsel inaction and security must be ensured. Still, I come back to the invitiation placed before us and how we will react to it. From this reaction will be determined what we get.

Again, I do not presume to tell anyone how to think and these words are mine alone. I only hope that in the hours, days and weeks ahead we can remember the lessons taught us this year regarding Bullies.

I pray that we individually and as a nation will extend fully our charity to the dear victims in and associated with New York City, Washington, DC, and Somerset County, Pennsylvania. But that we might also find it in our hearts to act in the spirit of compassion and forgiveness towards the other victims; those poor, troubled and fearful individuals who seem only able to approach us in the United States through their powerless acts of terror.

The first step to ending terrorism, I believe, is not to become terrible ourselves. This is what I am teaching my children.

Sincerely,

John Borland

September 11, 2001

Affective Skills Web Site

Last Modified: March 21, 2003