Let Us Not Forget

In church this morning, we remembered September 11, 2001.  All over the television, the radio, and the blogs, people are remembering the tragedies of that day.  It is the custom in our to have announcements at the very end of the service.  In addition to news about Sunday School, the upcoming men's group retreat, and the plugs for fair trade coffee being sold in the narthex, it is a time for sharing of celebrations:  birthdays, anniversaries, other important family news. Today I had something to share.

Do you see that happy, happy man with the sleepy baby right there to the left?  That's Tom, our older son, born on this date in 1974.  A good friend from church, Paul, shares this birthday, albeit in a different year.

Even as we remember our horrible losses of ten years ago, let us not forget that God is the giver of life, and give thanks for the birthdays of Tom, Paul, Jason, Brenda Filer, Woody's Mom, and all of the others for whom this day has been significant for all of their lives.

Comments

Amy said…
My sweet baby brother remarked two years ago that he was bummed to lose his birthday to tragedy. I told him that he was the first thing that comes to my mind when folks mention September 11th. After all, he's been my baby for 47 years! It made him smile.

And Happy Birthday to you, too (she who did all the work...)!
Salem Stitcher said…
Happy Birthday, Tom!

Add my sweet, wildman nephew, Asher to your list of 9/11 babies. More to celebrate!
Unknown said…
Hear hear - my neice Gemma was 24 this year on 9/11 - at 14 she was aghast that she should share her special day with something so fundamentally awful. So much so that she delayed her birthday for a day the following year. In our house 9/11 has a different significance two years ago on this date Nick was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, without wishing to belittle the losses of so many, in its own way this was as devastating to us.
Expat Hausfrau said…
I have Tom's birthday noted in my 8th grade diary from 1974 and still think of him every September 11th. Happy Birthday, Tom!