I still remember where I was on 9/11. I was at Agnew Middle School in Mesquite in a meeting with the parents of twin 7th grade boys. Their Dad was a military man all the way. We knew that going into the meeting. His sons spoke often of his background. Somehow during the conference, we found out about the first plane. His demeanor instantly changed. He ended our meeting. My team of teachers headed to the lounge for the news. Our principal was wise. He told us not to discuss it with the kids. Smart phones did not exist; therefore, they needed to wait until they made it home with their parents to find out what was going on. Alan Jackson’s song comes to mind. “Where were you when the world stopped turning that September Day?”
People got right after 9/11. There is no other way to put it. Churches were full. Patriotism trumped everything. Life became more appreciated and valued. Heroes were not athletes or from Hollywood. They were the men and women who charged into Ground Zero to find survivors. They were the spouses with young children who had to sit their babies down that night and tell them that mom or dad was not coming home.
9/11 changed America. It is true though that time heals wounds. Over the years, those of us watching from the outskirts of the wreckage, somewhat slid back into our same old ways of complacency.
Cancer in April of 2007 was my next big whammy! A season of allergies and what we assumed was childhood asthma turned into a swollen lymph node and a trip to see Dr. Orms here in Fairfield.
I began six months of chemo at Baylor Dallas two weeks after that trip to see him. It was a whirlwind of tests, scans, and lab work. By the next April, I was well on my way back to health and even getting my hair back – and I had curls! The years of trying to get a curl to last for more than thirty minutes were over!
When I was sick, things were different. I counted freckles on my kid’s noses, noticed every single blessing, cleared my busy calendar, and gave God thanks for every breath I took. Our trips to town were filled with positive music and even though I might have had a tear running down my cheek, I spoke out loud words of life. “I will see your graduate.” “I will watch you play football.” “I will be at your wedding.” Cancer is not good! It is absolutely horrible, but the lessons I learned were incredibly valuable!
Like with 9/11 though, time passes and I have somewhat drifted back into a life of complacency.
Guess where this is going? COVID-19 has forced families to stay home, talk, watch movies, play games, walk outside, and slow down!
Even with the health issues and economic disasters, many families seem happier. I see it all over town – bike riding and fishing are back! I have a house full of accomplished chefs be cause the food demand here is more than I can do alone. Whether we agree with the shut downs, news coverage, or when nail salons should open – we have all learned some valuable lessons. My three high school students miss their teachers! As families, we must engrave in our hearts what we have learned.
Alan Jackson’s chorus after 9/11 was this “Faith, hope, and love are some good things He gave us, and the greatest is love.” The “He” is Jesus and “He” loved us enough to die for us. That is the greatest lesson of all for us to learn and never forget.