M.Goose Says “Remember and Don’t Forget”

Here in the United States and around the world, we stop today and remember the horror that came out of the skies on that beautiful sunny blue-sky day eleven years ago. We lost loved ones and we lost our innocence AGAIN on that day. It seems that every fifty or sixty years, America loses her innocence again. We become accustomed to our sedate world presence and forget that “the bad guys” are still out there.

It was said after Japan struck Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 that it would be “a date which will live in infamy’ — that has proved true. Former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani said in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on 9-11, “The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit. Instead we have emerged stronger and more unified.” The mayor was correct and to a degree, we have remained strong and unified.

The horrific death toll on that day was 3,000 lives. That number includes the nineteen terrorists who also fell victim to the madness of al Qaida propaganda.

Eleven years later, my children ask me, “Why did the terrorists attack us?” I have had to search my soul and also the internet to find a suitable answer for their precious ears.

Of course, the first easy answer is that this group of Islamic fundamentalists have a deep hatred for America because we are living out the freedom declared by our founding fathers in our Constitution.

We could also say that they hate us for having a presence in Saudi Arabia, the homeland of Osama bin Laden and his followers. They saw our Middle East involvement as greed for oil.

There’s also the answer that any country allied with Israel risks the hatred of the Arab nations.

Some analysts come right out and say that al Qaida pointed chose its targets (the twin towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and potentially the halls of Congress) because of America’s free enterprise system, our military might and our democratic government.

Osama bin Laden himself gave many reasons for his attacks. The brave elite Navy seal team, DEVGRU, put an end to the taunting video releases of bin Laden and his discourses, but his zealous followers continue their long-enduring campaign to bring down the United States of America.

To date, the War on Terror has taken the lives of 6,280 Americans in combat zones Afghanistan and Iraq. That number, combined with the death toll of 9-11 itself, is ghastly. Nearly 10,000 lives lost in the madness of a war which drags on and on…

Pray for peace. Remember the victims and their families. Don’t forget that the War is still raging and Americans are still dying in this fight against terrorism and this fight for freedom.

But here’s the punchline: Do something unselfish for your community today! Or tomorrow! Make this a Day of Good Deeds to help America stay strong on the neighborhood level. Bake some cookies and bring them to the firefighters. Help your neighbor with some yardwork. Volunteer at a local food bank, or a homeless shelter. Pick up some litter in the ditch.

Fly your American flags.

Remember and don’t forget.

Cookies for the firefighters and the family.

Love from Mother Goose

Imagine and Remember 9/11

Our country (and the world) is full of 9/11 memories today. I wrote a short blog about what our little corner of the world was like on that day. Strangely, the views at my blog have been high recently because of the picture of the New York City skyline with the World Trade Center towers that I posted with my Little Wife story on June 19th. It’s a beautiful picture — strange that so many people might meet Little Wife because of it.

I love that picture of New York. The towers look so elegant and strong. The Brooklyn Bridge is in the foreground and the river. It’s the skyline that I like to remember – I hate the images of the towers with flames and smoke, and especially the picture of the one plane banking to turn right into the south tower.

I imagine the hysteria in those planes — the crying and screaming is so real in my ears. I think I would have blacked out in terror of what was happening…

So maybe someone will find a smile on their face today because of Little Wife and her silly adventure in NYC long ago before the towers were attacked by hideous cowardly men who couldn’t control their hatred of ordinary Americans. What kind of monsters would commit such hateful evil acts of violence against innocent civilian people?

Did their consciences keep them awake the night before their vicious hijacking or were they sleepless with anger and hatred of Americans? Did they pace the floor with anxiety or were they on their knees begging Allah for guidance? Or mercy? How did their love for their God become such a bloodthirsty hatred of people?

Here is what is very sad — those terrorists were all little boys once upon a time on their momma’s laps. Surely they knew love at some place in their childhoods. They would have been hugged and cherished and tickled and kissed and snuggled and passed around as babies. Muslim fathers and mothers adore their children, of course. They would have been prayed for — prayers that they would grow up to be good and lead happy lives. These little boys probably played soccer and ate cookies and milk after school and had dreams of growing up and falling in love. Maybe they had dreams to be firemen, policemen, businessmen, teachers and store owners.

I’m sure they were normal little guys once upon a time. And then somehow something inside of them died or got badly broken. They lost their love and their dreams and their ideals. They became vulnerable to the lies of a madman and could not turn away in time.

Did they have second thoughts when the towers loomed closer and closer? Was there a tiny voice of reason in their steel hard hearts? Did any of them hear their momma’s whisper, “I love you, my dear child”?

I wonder if one of them wiped away one small tear as they realized they were victims of terror also. My heart breaks.

Even as we remember the day ten years ago when we were ruthlessly attacked by terrorists, the news headlines shout that 77 American soldiers have been wounded in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan. My God, my Father when will it end?

“He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.” Isaiah 2:4

Ten Years Ago in Our World

We all remember the bright blue skies and the sunshine on that Tuesday morning. In Carol Stream, Illinois the beauty of the day was unreal. The horror in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania was unreal. The empty skies that night were unreal — so many airplanes were not in the air that night. The birds singing in the trees was a mockery to the terrible crying of the people who escaped the Towers. Tears flowed and flowed and flowed as the towers collapsed, and we knew that thousands of souls were still inside. In a state of shock, I managed to get the kids to school and even stopped at the grocery store for some basics before heading home to watch it all on TV.

I remember wandering out to my fenced-in suburban backyard, and just staring up at nothing in the sky. Just nothing. Not a cloud to catch my gaze. Just nothing. Tears flowing, I whispered to my heavenly Father, “God, what’s happening? Where are you? What’s going on? Why why why?” And no answers. I just dropped to my knees and cried. And then went back in the house to watch more of the reports for the rest of the day. I moved the TV into the kitchen so I wouldn’t miss anything, but when the kids came home from school that day I put the TV back in the living room so they could watch Arthur on Channel 11.

I didn’t watch much TV after the first day of the attack. I tried to shield my kids from the violence of that day — we put on our normal faces. I held them tighter than ever and nearly stopped all my housework for a week or so, just wanting to sit with them and be with them whatever they were doing in their worlds. I made meals and we ate together and prayed together at night. Every night we would go outside and look at the dark sky, enjoying the quiet and trusting that the great military presence of our country would deter any further attacks. There was comfort knowing that the F15’s were patrolling the skies and that America’s heroes would be remembered always.

We lived just a few miles from O’Hare International Airport, and soon the commercial planes were on their paths again. For months and years after we were attacked that day, I would still see the images of planes crashing into the towers. EVERY single plane flying overhead would remind me, and I would see it smashing into an imaginary building and balls of fire and black smoke billowing out. My own minuscule PTSD, I suppose.

Today life is pretty normal, except that we’re all changed and normal has changed also. We are still waging a war against an invisible enemy, but I have faith that America will somehow have victory in the long run. My sons are sailors in the U.S. Navy — a global force for good. I am proud of them, proud of our country, but so saddened by the horrible loss of life on 9/11. I cry to think of the supreme sacrifice of life — the brave men and women who have been killed fighting the War Against Terrorism.

I still ask God “why” but the answer is not as important as it used to be. We can only hope that things will get better, and that someday there will be no fears, no tears, no anger, no terrorism and no enemies. Belief in God’s goodness and His sovereign love can and will sustain us. He is faithful to remain with us to the end. May His love and peace bless you today. Love, Natalie