Our 2001 Honeymoon

We spent the entire afternoon of the third day on our honeymoon in our room. Paying careful attention to every single detail. Holding each other a though our lives depended on it – and in a way they did.

I don’t think we went down for dinner until it was almost too late to eat. I cannot even remember, honestly if we ate – how could we? We were exhausted.

The resort –  Couples in Ocho Rios, Jamaica – seemed deserted.

When we found the other couples we fell into each other’s arms. We comforted, prayed, shed tears and curses together. We asked for new details – there were none to be had. The shock of the day’s news was unbelievable, nearly unbearable. I have never felt closer to complete strangers in my life – never since.

We had just said our wedding vows a few days earlier, my 30^th birthday was the next day, we had nearly a week left of our honeymoon and there was a really good chance we would not be able to fly home when the week ended.

Photo By: 9/11 Photos

It was Tuesday September 11, 2001.

We had started the day by playing tennis.  Shortly after the second tower was hit our tennis coach told us a couple planes had run into the WTC – there was zero urgency in his voice so we took little notice – planes ran into buildings all the time right?

It would be hours before we knew the truth, before we knew our country had been attacked by cowards. Even when the terms “terror” or “coordinated attack” started surfacing we were convinced that we had gotten the straight scoop from – of all people – our tennis coach. It was about half way up Dunn’s River Falls that we began to accept that New York had actually been attacked – it was a while before we knew about the Pentagon or the heroes of Flight 92.

It still makes me angry. Not that I could have anything.

Today marks the twelfth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States, on me on you.  Twelve years since our sovereignty was challenged and twelve years of a growing division – which in my opinion has done more damage to us as a nation than those cowards did that Tuesday morning.

If you are a Christ follower then I ask you, starting today, begin to pray for the country as a whole. Not a political party or system. Not a platform, new law or referendum. I ask you to begin to pray for the President – even if you don’t agree with him. Not because I am asking but because the Bible says our leaders are placed where they are by God. This means when you question  the leader of the country  – you question God.

Not saying you have to agree with them but if you’re not praying for them – shame on you. You are as big a problem as the leaders themselves.

More than 3000 people lost their lives on 11 September. Perhaps if more of us so called Christians spent more time praying for our leaders and the country and not complaining about how awful they are maybe we could avoid another tragedy.

Praying yet?

What are your memories of that morning? How have your feelings, morals, ideals changed since then?