What can I say about today? It seems I can recall every moment of the day. I remember my mom coming to help me take our (then) 3 children to Tumbleweeds gymnastics. Nora Kate was 3, and our twins Maggie and Sean were around 1 year old. At first, I told my mom it had to be a mistake...a small sight seeing plane must have crashed into the World Trade Center. Then we watched, in horror, on the TV in the gym's lounge as the second plane crash into the WTC. And a bit later in abject disbelief as the first building came crashing down...all on live TV.
Nora Kate was watching intently, which in retrospect, I'm not sure was a wise idea....but she has always been older than her years. She asked me, "Mommy, were there people in that building...and in those planes?" She could tell from the horror on the faces of those present in the little gym that there was something very serious going down. At this point, I felt there was no need to sugar coat things. This was a HUGE event. Life altering. She would remember this day forever. With unshed tears in my eyes, I told her "yes baby...there were." She then said, "what can we do for them, mommy?" I truly had no words for her. I could only choke out, "What do you think we should do?" She replied in her very confident, toddler voice "I think we should pray for them." And right there in the middle of the gym's lounge/waiting room she knelt down, made the sign of the cross, and looked up at the television, and began to pray for the people on the planes and in the buildings. My mom and I joined her, kneeling beside her, and with tears in our eyes watched and listened to this sweet little girl offer her heartfelt prayers for those she would never know, and for a peace and grace during a horrible event she would never forget. I can't remember the words she spoke. I am sure they were the simplistic intercessions of a 3 year old. But I will never forget how amazed I was that this little girl kneeling next to me simply GOT IT. Amidst all the adults in that gym's waiting room, watching in horror as ALL our lives changed forever, she knew exactly what to do. She knew exactly who to call on in our time of need: God.
Every year on this day our family prays for those who died on this day, and those who died avenging this horrible, cowardly attack on our country, and for all patriots throughout our history who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. And every year, just like on September 11, 2001, Nora Kate leads our family in those prayers. May God bless those who lost loved ones on 9-11, and give them a peace and grace that surpasses all their anger and grief. We shall never forget. Not if I can help it.
