A Conversation into the Future

Mommy, today is Patriot's Day. At school, we colored flags and talked about why our country is important.(Pause) Mommy, why did my teacher cry today?

She's sad. She probably remembers why we have Patriot's Day.

Why?

About 10 years ago, some not very nice people from another country and a different religion thought it would be okay to crash a plane into the tallest building in the United States.

What was the tallest building?

The Twin Towers. I'll have to find a picture to show you, because they didn't build them again.

Why did the people think it was okay to do that?

They thought that their god wanted them to kill everyone so they could over run the country.

Does my god want me to kill everyone?

No, God wants you to love your neighbor and turn the other cheek, even though it's hard sometimes.

Mommy, I still don't understand why my teacher was crying.

When the plan crashed into the building, a lot of people died and a lot of people got hurt. The television showed footage of it all day long and into the night. The policeman and firefighters had to go into the buildings and try to find everybody.

Did they find everybody?

No, buddy, they didn't. Some people are still looking for their families.

Is my teacher still looking for someone?

I don't think so. I think she is just sad because she remembers what she saw that day and is happy to be living in the United States.

I gave her hug.

That's nice of you.

She gave me a sticker. Wanna see?

After we get home, bud, I'm driving.


9/11/01 Sitting in my child psychology class preparing to take my first test. Dr. Owens asks for prayer requests like he does at the start of every class period. One guy says "we need to pray for those people in New York." The class is early and I have no idea what is going on. After class, I walk over to the education building at William Jewell and see the hallways are lined with TVs. The footage of the first and second plane is playing and newscasters are making their speculations. Education classes are cancelled. I go back to my dorm and watch the TV until I can't watch anymore.

9/11/09 Helping high school students who think they never had a chance to graduate learn how to find the arc length and central angle of a circle. An everday occurance, but still as important as that moment when "the world stopped turning."