Give us this day...

Isn’t it funny how we sometimes forget certain things or events in life that are so important? It’s like we are subconsciously trying to wipe it from our memories as having not happened. For example, many people who are involved in horrendous car accidents and survive, seldom remember the actual event. It is like our minds hide it from us, to protect us from the devastating memories and to shield us from the pain be it perceived or real.

Something like that happened to me today. I was finishing up my Blog entry by reading it to Lise, who is my strongest critic. We were both chuckling at some of my thoughts because Lise knows how my mind tracks and what I consider to be humorous. Luckily, I have been able to teach Lise how to see the same twisted humor from time to time without feeling a terrible guilt. I was just about to post it when I saw the date that my computer had set up in the corner of the page and realized that today was not the day for humor or sarcasm. Today was not going to be a day that I comment on anything. Today was a day for sorrow and prayer.

I had forgotten that it was September 11th and what had happened 8 years ago in New York, Washington, DC and a pasture in Pennsylvania. I had forgotten how I stood in my office watching something unfold that both shocked and angered me. I had forgotten the tears of people around me, both women and men who also were realizing what was happening. The “why” didn’t matter at that point and, to some degree, still doesn’t. What we saw was terrifying, horrifying and unnecessary.

In the end, it accomplished absolutely nothing. If it was meant to punish, it didn’t. If it was meant to sow fear in our hearts, it did the opposite. If it was a pay back, they have suffered tenfold since that horrifying day.

All I can say is that maybe today we need to tell our friends how much we appreciate them. Not that we shouldn’t do it all the time but, maybe on this day, we should thank them for just being there.

We should also appreciate, every day, that we are able to wake up and see our loved ones and know that they love us as much as we love them. Think about all of the families that no longer have that pleasure since that devastating day.

And finally, before we close our eyes tonight, a few words would be appropriate. Words that start with…

"Our Father, who art in Heaven…