Week 1: New Beginnings

As today is the tenth anniversary of 9/11, I am glad we will celebrate our country by doing something very American - watching professional football.  

Courtesy of John Skelson.

So much as changed since that fateful day.  This morning I was thinking about how I found out about the planes crashing into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the field in Pennsylvania.  I was a second year student at MCD and we were in our morning prayer time.  One guy's cell phone kept ringing and ringing.  Since it was his mom, he thought there was a family emergency.  There were no Facebook or CNN smartphone apps to send us a push notification about the breaking news.  He answered his phone and then broke the news to us.  I remember sitting in the pastor's office watching the only TV in the church and not really understanding what was I seeing on the screen.  It would take days and weeks to fully grasp what happened to the United States that day.  

I don't know anyone who died on 9/11/01 but I do have several friends who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan because of that day.  One of them is serving in Baghdad right now.  I am very proud to be an American and I'm glad we have a today like today where differences are set aside and we all tune in to cheer on our favorite team and remember those who fought and continue to fight for freedom.