Remembering 9/11/01

On September 11, 2001 I was a freshman at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, AR. At that time, I was a music major with a vocal performance emphasis. I was at lunch in the cafeteria and a friend of mine, Brian Blocher walked in and said that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center Buildings in New York.

My initial thought was that something like a Cessna or smaller had mistakenly crashed into the buildings. I though perhaps the pilot had a medical condition which caused him to make such an incredible error.

Towards the end of my lunch break I walked in to the Student Center and saw something completely different on the television. I watched as I saw people jumping out of the building. I was there a few minutes before the first building suddenly collapsed and fell.

It was like a dream, or a movie, except you felt the instantaneous loss of life. When I look upon this day I remember several things.

First of all, we were all reminded of the reality of evil. Secondly, we were all reminded of our humanity. We will not live forever.

Finally, we were reminded of love. The firefighters, police officials and others who were died that day did so for their fellow man. And greater love than this can not be found (Jn. 15:13).

This September 11th I choose to honor them. And thinking of their sacrifice I think of Christ. And thinking on Christ leads me to ask myself, would I give my life so that others might know him? Am I giving my life today?