Dear Red Dirt Chronicles friends:

For the sixth time in the last week, I’ve gone through a security line in the airport and have been reminded of the changes we’ve encountered since the tragic “9-11” event ten years ago.  These small inconveniences, however, are nothing compared to the tremendous burden our government agencies, leaders and employees are shouldered with each and every day as they consider how to better keep our citizens and our visitors safe.

Today is a difficult day.  For me, I wrestle with strong feelings of sadness, anger, gratefulness, wistfulness and humility.  We still have troops overseas in Afghanistan, the first of whom were deployed only weeks after our Twin Towers in NYC pummeled to the ground. One of those troops is a friend of mine – William Joshua Howard, a former music minister in my church, father of four girls and husband to his wife, LaNisa.  Another is a friend in Sunday School.  Another WAS a friend in Sunday School but luckily he returned home for the last time a couple of years ago.

The thoughts of our troops in harms way as a result of the events taking place after 9-11 isn’t all I’m thinking of.  There are literally thousands of lives touched by loss in either the planes that went down or those lost in the Twin Towers.  I’ve listened to some of the documentary books about this event on tape as I drove to work over the last seven years.  I’ve listened to some of the recordings of the surviving family members.  I’ve read stories about the rescue personnel struggling with lung diseases and other issues due to harm incurred during the rescue efforts.  I’ve seen the replay of President Bush reading to the children in school…slow-motion played over and over the change in his face when he heard the news of the first hit.

I guess I just wanted you to know that I feel comfortable speaking for all our contributors when I say, the Red Dirt Chronicles remembers.  And we’re honoring all the lives changed by 9-11 today by writing words to them on our usually “Silent Sunday” post.

Sincerely,

[kelly] and the RDC Team of Contributors