It seems that the arrival of 9-11 is a day that everyone now fears and looks forward to its conclusion. Now that it is almost over and done with for another year, it seems that the atmosphere in a workplace is somewhat subdued, bordering on mournful. And, as it should. It should be a day to remember those who so tragically lost their lives in an instant of sheer madness, thus changing the lives of those who were closest to them.
The images are frozen in time; two planes charging towards the World Trade Center's towers, a massive fire at the Pentagon, and a crater in a barren field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. While a previous generation remembers where they were exactly when JFK was killed, the same is true when this generation saw or heard the news that terrorism had landed in the United States and wreaked havoc.
On this day, Canada became a temporary landing strip for commercial airliners who were forced to the ground for the first time since air travel became a way of life for all of us. In the midst of utter confusion and chaos, air traffic controllers from Vancouver, British Columbia to Gander, Newfoundland guided both domestic and international flights carrying passengers of all nationalities safely to the ground. And, it was communities like Halifax, Nova Scotia and Winnipeg, Manitoba who took care of the weary homesick travellers like they were members of their own families. Canada became a temporary safe haven during those heady days in September 2001.
The next time you are travelling and there are long lines to get through security, or you are forced to remove your shoes or required to show your 3 ounce bottle of shampoo/conditioner, remember to put one thing in perspective. You must never forget those who lost their lives during that terrible day and for the response teams who lost their lives attempting to rescue those in need.
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1 comment:
Amen.
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