Remembering 9/11

I just arrived home on that faithful day (it was 9pm Manila time) and decided to switch on the tube and started channel surfing while having dinner. Suddenly I paused after reaching channel 28 (CNN). The first plane just struck one of the towers of the World Trade Center. Immediately I called my boss and asked her to tune in. She's got a lot of relatives and friends in New York and we have business associates who are also holding office nearby. I stayed glued to the screen praying and hoping that casualties will be minimal. Then the second plane strucked and it became clear that it was an act of terrorism. Pentagon followed soon and last was the flight that was supposed to be bound for the White House.

Dinner forgotten, I found myself crying as scenes of people falling from the building were being caught by the camera. Of wounded people walking aimlessly in the street. The hours ticked by but sleep is far from my mind, I'm haunted by what I saw and the realization that the world is not as safe as I assumed sinked in. As the world grieved for those who lost their love ones, consoled those who are still looking for people dear to them and rejoiced whenever a body is recovered alive, we suddenly found ourselves evaluating our priorities in life and making changes on what we thought should be corrected.

Five years later as we remember that faithful day, let us look back and say our prayers for the countless souls who perished that day and count our blessings that we are still here healthy and able. May we find our purpose in life and live it to the fullest.