911 Story

On September 11 th my day began as usual, up around 6:15 am to see my daughter off to school and then to sit down with my Bible and a cup of coffee. As I lingered over my reading in Psalms I couldn't seem to shake a "profound sense of sadness" and began to weep. I decided to pause and call a friend in Maine, we help each other, both divorced single moms with one daughter. I placed a call at 655 am to her work place and we chatted. I then decided to go for my morning jog. As I went outside to my patio I noticed two Chicago peace roses were perfect to be cut, they weren't ready the day before. This bush was put in the ground many years ago, so it's a rare sight to get beautiful roses still and they were side-by-side and identical. I walked outside to start my jog and looked up and saw a beautiful rainbow. I remember thinking to myself by not coming out when I did I might have missed this! As I was jogging I ran by my neighbor who also grows roses and I told him about my two that were beautiful. Upon returning home, as I was walking up my sidewalk I almost couldn't believe it; in my butterfly garden I saw three unique species of butterflies, a rare sight. Once in awhile I might see one but this is what I'd hoped for someday. They were so pretty and I watched them for a few moments thinking, my patience had paid off, they'd found my garden! As I went inside the patio I decided to cut the roses before they opened anymore and then I noticed my very first flower on my bleeding heart vine. I was once again amazed at all the blessings of they day! A bleeding heart flower is white and has two red flowers in the center of the white. So I thought I would let my friend know with a quick call back that I was feeling better now. That call was placed at 8:33 am. It was through a phone call I learned of the tragic events of the day and had to turn on the television to see what I, like many others couldn't believe. It wasn't until days later I learned that my parents always flew Flight #11 American Airlines from Boston to Los Angeles every September to see his sister who lives in Palm Springs. He had said it was too expensive to go this year. Also, in 1982 I had dined in the WorldTradeCenter at "Windows of the World." Before the attack I had told my minister I was sad with the way the world was going. I'm happy that we've drawn together. To me the good far outweighs the bad, not to minimize everyone's losses. My sister's death in 1983 affected me in a profound way and I truly believe I became a better person because of it. I'd like to close in saying this, in a symbolic way as when they rolled the stone and Jesus was not there, I'd like to think in the same way that the people that haven't been found in the World Trade Center have risen and become angels. It's a nice thought, isn't it? If anything I've said can help someone in their grief, I'd be honored by that, but more importantly give God the glory. God Bless you.
Note: my rose bush died after the last two rose bloomed
Heartstrings, Copyright © 2002 by Library of Congress