Mark's Blog

I was going to write my own thoughts about 9/11, but my son-in-law Tim Spivey posted this blog which captured my own emotions well.  

This morning I made the daily trip to Reidy Creek Elementary school with my first-grader, Anna, in-tow. The drive is only about a half-mile, but is full of traffic. We have some of our best talks during this time. Anna, like many first-graders, has a deeply inquisitive mind.

Her leadoff question this morning was a doozy. Daddy, what’s 9/11? How do you explain something like that to a kid? I was unprepared. The dialogue went
something like this:

“Well honey, 9/11 stands for September 11. It’s a sad day for grownups.”

“Why?”

“Because on September 11, some really bad men flew some airplanes into buildings full of people and a lot of people died that day. So we remember them and pray for their families today.”

“I don’t remember that.”

“Well sweetie, you weren’t born yet.”

“Oh.”

“Should I pray for the families too?”

“That would be great! And we should remember to be thankful every day for each other.”

“OK.”

“OK. You have a great day at school and remember your mommy and daddy love you.”

“I know. (She exits the car, and blows a kiss to me…and runs off.)

And I thought about the moms and dads and husbands and wives and children who didn’t know they were blowing a kiss to their loved ones for the last time that morning.

And I prayed.