Reflections from Another Generation

In the week following the 9/11 attacks, I emailed my grandparents to ask them how this terrible event related to the only other single day shock I could think of, Pearl Harbor.

Their stories brought me perspective and comfort, so I thought I'd share them.

From my grandmother:

The first thing I said last Tuesday morning when the first pictures began showing up on TV was "Pearl Harbor all over"!! I couldn't believe my eyes or ears. We had just finished eating breakfast and were getting ready to go for our walk when I flipped TV channels to Fox News to see what was going on (I'd had C-SPAN on for their regular "Morning Journal" program) and the 1st WTC tower was burning. As you know within a few minutes, the 2nd plane slammed into the 2nd tower. It was if it all were a dream!! So hard to comprehend .... all I could think of was "are we seeing the beginning of the end of the world" as we've read in the Bible.

Terror, agony, grief, everything rolled into one.

"Pearl Harbor" was different. At least, I was viewing it as a 20 yr. old, living away from home, working at a job I enjoyed at Phillips Petroleum Co., not realizing what danger lay ahead. Thoughts immediately flooded my mind - "oh no - not another war". My mom and dad talked a lot about WW I, the war that would end all wars and I had a time accepting what I saw and heard. "Would every generation have to go through a war" was the first thing I thought of. Being young, the seriousness of a battle didn't affect me I guess, at first. Then when I heard some of the kids I'd gone to high school with were killed @ Pearl Harbor, it became more real. Pearl Harbor was a long 'way off......not in the U.S.

Being young, a person accepts life changes more easily I suppose, but our generation grew up in a hurry. Young people today have seemed more mature in many ways - still so naive about life and it's dangers.

I fear for all of you - and what the days ahead hold. God is in control, He knows the end from the beginning, I grieve for the unknowns. Looking back at Pearl Harbor, I can see most of my generation were optimistic and certain the war would soon be over and peace return. Today, I'm not sure that's the case - in our lifetime that is. Now the battle will be fought on American soil. The world, as we know it, may well be faced with Armagedden.

My prayer for all our grandchildren is that God will hold you in His arms, and protect you. How thankful we are for your dedication to Him - would that all could say the same.

"The Lord is my light and my salvation----whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life---of whom shall I be afraid? when evil me advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. -------Psalms 27 1-3 (Past - present and future)


From my grandfather:

We were watching the TV at the time this raid took place. The first thing I though of was, they were running some movie that was made in Hollywood.

The shock of it all was almost unbelievable. How could anyone even think of doing such a thing. Of course Pearl Harbor came to mind, surely we are at war again. It didn't take long to realize, just who is the enemy? At Pearl we knew immediately who the enemy was.

1939 Europe became involved in war. Our Nation was preparing for war & helping supply our allies with equipment & arms. There had been conscription here for some time before Pearl. All young men had been subject to the draft & many had already started military training. I had a defense job deferment at that time & could have staved off going for several years. Sept. 11, 2001 we, as a nation, were not even thinking WAR.

I was in Coffeyville that weekend when I heard the news of Pearl on the car radio. The streets in C'ville were soon vacated as people went home to listen to their radios. I ventured down to Bartlesville with a friend,  Juanita's cousin. There was no one out on the streets of B'ville either, so we decided to go past where Juanita lived and found her home. I had met Juanita on a casual basis a time or two before. After some persuasion, she agreed to go for a ride with us, this was the beginning of a friendship that grew and our love has never ended.

The churches of Derby held a PRAYER service at the football field that night. Most of our local churches were involved. the attendance was been 500 - 1,000.

Continue your life and plans and things will work out for good for those who look for HIS coming.