another prayer

The only way I can remember the date of that dreadful day ten years ago is by remembering the emergency telephone number we hear all the time in U.S. crime shows on TV. 

Nine one one.

I know that many people of many nationalities, races, religions and political persuasions were affected by these events. 

Particularly telling, for me, were the shell-shocked reactions of Australian kids who – in the majority of cases – not only had no direct experience of war or terror, but had not grown up with a parent generation who had lived through and survived such a horrible time.

It’s not easy to reassure 10 or even 18 year olds with concepts like ‘isolated events’, or ‘strategic’ targets. The images of the towers collapsing were pure pornography, shown on a 24 hour loop and totally unavoidable. How could the improbability of a small country town in Australia attracting such terror be enough to help these kids sleep?

But beyond the personal experiences of so many around the world, our friends in the States are the ones who will be walking on eggshells for 24 hours. The rest of us will be thinking of or praying for them.