I remember that morning. I know where I was just like everyone knows where they were. I was in bed. My phone rang and I didn't answer it. And then it rang again immediately after so I rolled over and picked it up. On the other end was my brother. "Turn on the television." I say, "Which channel?" and he says, "Doesn't really matter." My brother and I have an interesting relationship. We don't talk often and usually not about anything important but we both know that if we needed each other, one of us would race to the other's side in an instant. My brother never phones in the morning. My brother is not awake if he's not at work in the morning. This was weird. I turned on the television and immediately saw the twin towers. Only one plane had crashed at this point and I had no idea what was going on. We sat in silence and watched the second plane hit. He was upset. I was upset. In that instant we knew the world had changed.
Here we are on the anniversary of that day and I am still amazed how all those people came together to try to rescue the people in the towers. Without fear or selfishness, they ran into danger in hopes of doing something good. Amazing.
And while I am trying to remember all the great things that people did that day while trying not to be overwelmed by the absolute sadness of all that was lost, I realize that two provinces over there was a miracle today. A three year old boy who was kidnapped four days earlier is returned relatively unharmed. I am not fooled into believing that life will be the same for that boy, but honestly I did not believe there would be a good outcome to this horrible situation. Every time I thought about that boy over the last few days I pictured my own children. And every time I saw his parents I felt their pain. And every parent will now live in fear just a tiny bit more when they tuck their child in every night. That sense of peace knowing that your child is safely asleep in their own bed has been stolen.
What an amazingly incredibly happy but sad day. I got through it all because I spent the day in a corn maze chasing my kids and hoping that Jack would slow down before he got lost. We ate at the Berry Barn and played in the sand beside the river. I painted my toe nails the color Lily chose and painted hers every color we own. And we are making Lily and Jack's favorite food. Ribs. And every five minutes Lily says, "I smell ribs. When do we eat?" And I realize life is worth it. The good and the bad.
Three year old BC boy found safe
