I woke up this morning thinking about how fast the past eight years have gone since September 11, 2001. Life really passes away like a dream. One moment your here and the next moment your somewhere else. For me one moment I was in high school, the next I was on my mission, and then boom, now I’m half way done with college and living at home in between semesters. I also can't believe the experiences I've had that have definitely made me realize that I can't go through life without the knowledge that I have that God lives and has a plan for me.
One thing I wish I would of done is wrote in my journal about September 11, 2001 on that day or sometime there after. The funny thing is that I haven’t forgotten any of it. That day is engraved in my head like it wasn’t a dream. One thing I realized this morning is that life does feel like a dream, but special, tragic, and funny moments don’t.
The things I remember most are the things that have had the most impact on me. Most of them have to do with spiritual things like when I was baptized, or when I received the priesthood, or when I went through the temple for the first time, or when I received my mission call and returned home to see my family for the first time in 2 years. Another one of those things will be when I am sealed to someone special for time and all eternity, or when I have kids, or when I see my kids have these same special experiences.
We need to live everyday like its not a dream. Don’t just let it pass by and say there is always tomorrow, because there may not be a tomorrow as those on September 11 found out. Make an impact today. Improve yourself today. Get the most out of today. That’s what I’m trying to do. Its hard when we face challenges or our day isn’t going as planned, but its only hard unless we put our trust in God. God will help us become the person we need to be everyday if put in our best effort and have faith in him. Life doesn’t have to pass away like a dream.
I am going to write that journal entry that I wish I would of. This is how I remembered it.
September 11, 2001-Tuesday,
Today has been a tragic day. A day I will never forget. I woke up this morning and found myself on the school bus listening to the radio that flows throughout the bus at a low volume. All the sudden the music was interrupted with breaking news. As this came on the bus driver turned the volume up. We heard a frantic report “a plane has hit one of the world trade center buildings in lower Manhattan.” As we made our way to school we listened intently as they talked about how it could be a terrorist attack or just an accident. As they were talking and as the other building was up in smoke another plane hit the other tower. The news reporter was freaking out with fear in his voice. I honestly didn’t know what to think, but I was very sad inside. I didn’t know what would happen next. It was a very emotional day for me.
I thought to myself what else could be worse today. I walked into my geography class and the teacher said were just going to watch the news for class today. The whole class was silent and stunned. As we watched the video over and over again of the two buildings collapsing they came on split screen with a report that the pentagon has just been hit by a plane and later that a plane has crashed in Pennsylvania. At this time I really just wanted to go home and be with my family.
Another moment that really stuck out to me today was in seminary. We didn’t go to our separate classes, but we all met in the large room to watch the news. In fact that’s all I did today is watch the news. While we were all watching the news these two guys starting making fun of this other kid and the kid started yelling back. Then one of the kids that was making fun of him started swearing at him and taunted him. He wanted to fight him right there. I thought to myself why are these guys doing this when such a tragic event is taking place.
The rest of the day I stayed at home and watched the news with my family. I kept asking myself is this the end, what’s going to happen next. One thing that I did realize today is how grateful I am to know God and to be apart of his church. Everything will work out the way it is suppose to and I know that God will always be there for me.
