I remember September 11

I can't help but remember September 11 when the "New World Order" got shattered. It was a slow evening, and I just got home and eaten supper. The kids were already in bed. And I was surfing the channels, trying to find something to watch. As I was changing channels, there was a shot of the New York's World Trade Center's Twin Towers -- with one of them on fire. I was mesmerized. I checked out the other channels, and there it was, same scene, different angle. This was going on live. It was really happening. And half a world and 12 time zones away I was watching it.

When it was explained that an airplane crashed into the tower, only then did I realize that this was not an ordinary fire.

I phone my father and asked him to change the channel and watch the disaster unfolding. And then I remembered people I knew who were supposed to have offices in that building.

One of the people who I knew was working in New York was Rachelle. I sent a text message to a close friend and asked about her. There was an exchange of text messages about what we were seeing on TV. It was distressing to know that she worked at the World Trade Center. I prayed for her safety, that she not be in any danger.

My father also had another friend who was working in that complex. I sent several text messages to my friends who were in communication with this couple. It turns out that his company was not anymore located at the WTC. There were a lot of text messages exchanged before that was verified.

In one sense it was a personal attack. Almost everyone I know knows someone within the vicinity of the attack.

The tragedy was not isolated. It was a global tragedy. It was a global attack. That it happened at all meant that whoever did it had such hatred that it had to be expressed with the suicide of several men, for the death of a lot more innocent people, and the destruction of a symbol of wealth and power, in the most popular city in the world. Though outwardly the war on terrorism may have started with this loss, I doubt if we will ever see the end of this. Until the hatred has been sated, the attacks will continue ad nauseum. We can only be vigilant and prepared for more such losses.

--andoy