Pause

I noticed today that the "pause" button on my media player looked like a silhouette of the twin towers of the World Trade Center. It reminded me that taking the time to pause on 9/11 would be a good thing for a couple of reasons.

First, to remember what happened five years ago. To remember how awful that day was. It's important that this memory remain fresh so that we don't grow complacent in our diligence against terrorism. The most chilling line I heard was from an Irish terrorist who once said, "you have to be lucky all the time. We only have to be lucky once." Five years have passed and we've been pretty "lucky" so far. If we don't remember what it looks like when the terrorists get lucky, we're bound to have another 9/11 on our soil.

Second, we should remember those who were lost on that day. So many husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters, none of whom could have known that it was their last day on Earth. For me one of the most emotional photographs of the events of 9/11 is that of the rescue workers carrying the body of Father Mychal Judge who stayed in the WTC to comfort and administer Last Rites to a critically injured fireman. He was killed by falling debris. The rescue workers carried him out - a saint emerging from the rubble.

If you knew today would be your last, what would you do differently? How would you have prepared to meet your end? I'd be willing to bet that none of us really follow the maxim to live each day as if it were our last. I'd be willing to bet that aside from the 19 who planned it, most of the 3,000 who died that day did not have their affairs in order, either materially or spiritually. So we should remember the souls of the departed, and pray for them. I'm sure they're doing likewise.

The question on a lot of people's minds during this 5th anniversary is: "Are we prepared to stop another attack"? I'd like to think so, but then again, even government agencies with the best technology and well thought-out plans are still run by human beings capable of making mistakes. Who knows what the history books 100 years from now will say. How many more terrible things could we possibly see in our remaining living years?

I don't intend to sound so morose. I remain hopeful that the people we have entrusted with our security will prevail. But one thing is still certain: one day we all will wake to our last day on Earth. It may not be brought about by savage acts of terrorism, but the day will come nonetheless at a time not of our choosing. We won't be able to stop the advance of that day, but we can do something to prepare for it.

Will we be ready?