There are images that will remain forever etched in my mind ... the 2nd plane soaring directly into the World Trade Center tower ... the fireball ... the collapse ... the screams... the people rushing down the street with a cloud of smoke and debris falling after them ... the skeletal remains of the once tall towers ... our Pentagon in flames...
But there are other images:
The simple image of our President walking on a sidewalk, heading into the White House within hours of this tragedy. During the Gulf War air strikes, Sudan Huisam was underground, heavily protected in a bunker. He hid. When America is attacked, our leader does not hide. He walks into our nation's capitol and goes to work. This speaks volumes, my friends.
Those who lost their lives died in defense of our freedom, just as surely and just as honorably any US Soldier who has ever died on foreign soil while fighting for our country. They did not sign up for this, they did not know we were at war, they thought they would go home that night, like any other night. They will be honorably remembered. They did not die in vain.
When I woke the next morning I followed the same routine as every other morning ... get up, eat breakfast, go to work ... but this was NOT like every other morning. The reason my routine itself did not change is because one sure thing did not change: I am still a free American. You can't take that away. These cowards knocked down buildings, but they DID not... WILL not... CANNOT ... knock down this country. We stand united.
There are no words to begin to convey the depth of my heartfelt sympathy and support for those who perished and their friends and families. Nothing our nation does in response to this act will bring them back. In the words of a brother firefighter in New York... "There is unimaginable...devastating ... unspeakable ... carnage." I know I speak for all Firefighters when I say my heart is also with you and all emergency workers as you deal with the images you are seeing each day. I know they will stay with you. I know you will feel that doing all you can do is not enough. All you can do is enough, my brothers and sisters in service. Stand proud.
I believe ... the souls of the lost Americans are at Peace, they are free from pain and suffering and have an honored place among the angels. I believe ... the terrorists, who's bodies from the planes lie among our own, have met their final judgment ... and they will suffer in the flames of Hell for eternity. But let us not forget ... this final judgment was not ours to make, but belongs to a much higher power. There is no place for rage and hatred among a civilized nation. I pray my fellow Americans will not turn their anger on any citizens or guests in our country of foreign decent. There is no place for bitter hatred ... but there is a place for justice to be done. And justice shall be done.
I have fought major forest fires, and I am always deeply saddened at the sight of the devastated, barren, blackened Earth where once stood tall trees. But when I revisit these areas just months later, I am amazed to see new green shoots growing out of the ashes. As nature regenerates and goes on, so shall we. We are still standing tall and proud among the ashes. We will rebuild, we will be stronger, we will persevere.
My sister (a police officer) sent this message to a U. S. Army paratrooper:
I trust you with my country.
I trust you will protect my freedom.
Be safe. Be strong. Be proud.
We love you.
On the streets of New York ... in the ashes, it is etched ...
"God Bless America... Land That We Love"
Amen.
Kalvere
Minnesota Firefighter
BACK TO MAIN PAGE