Twelve years ago today, we watched those horrific scenes on our televisions of two airplanes crashing into the Twin Towers in New York City, another crash landing in Pennsylvania and a fourth into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., killing all those on the four planes and 3,000 others that were trapped in the Twin Towers. Those pictures are ingrained in our memories forever.
I remember turning on the television early that morning to the news of the first airplane crashing into the Twin Towers and being warned that Los Angeles International Airport could be the next target. Steve had just arrived at work. In those days, he worked across the street from LAX. I immediately called Steve at work to tell him what had happened, and told him to get into his car and drive home right away.
While I was on the phone with him I looked up at the tv and screamed into the phone, “Oh no, another plane has just crashed into the Twin Towers!” It all seemed so surreal, like a scene from a Hollywood movie, so unbelievable in real life. Steve arrived home and we along with many people around the world (the news had travelled around the world in a split-second) sat in front of the television watching in disbelief waiting to hear who did it, who was responsible for killing all of those innocent people, trying to make some kind of sense of it all.
As we remember all of those that lost their lives in that horrible tragedy, may the families of those who lost a loved one that day know that many of us around the world are also remembering and hoping that it will help to ease some of the pain and loss that they will always feel.
Has anything really changed for the good since that horrific day?
Take a look at the state of the world today – still so much hatred, fighting, killing and suffering.
Even though, we must never give up hope and have faith that one day we will all get along and there will be peace in the world.
Every day we are given opportunities to make a difference in someone’s life – a friend, a family a stranger.
Be the change that you wish to see in the world – Gandhi