Reflecting on sacrifices made in wake of Sept. 11

  • Published
  • By Chaplain (Capt.) Kristina Coppinger
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Chapel
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  Eight years have come and gone since that awful day when America's world seemed to fall apart.

Like many of you, I remember exactly where I was - at the pediatricians with my two daughters, in shock over what had just happened. My gut reaction was one of rage.

I was ready to come back on active duty and join the fight. Forget the fact that I was seven months pregnant and a chaplain, I was ready to go on the offensive.

Time has healed many wounds, but not all of them, and not for everyone. For me, I've only to look at my son, born less than two months after the tragedy, and remember all the wonders and joys of life that have occurred since then to help me move on.

But for others, it's not that simple.

When they look around, they see the empty spot at the table, the absent jet in a Missing Man formation, the Purple Heart awarded posthumously to a young soldier who gave his life fighting for freedom.

And yet if you were to ask the countless men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice, if we should live our lives to the fullest, the overwhelming majority would probably say "Yes!"

I believe they would answer "Yes", because to do otherwise would serve to diminish what it truly means to be free. For as long as we remain afraid to live life to the fullest, we give power to those who desire is to break our resolve.

As a chaplain I try to help people overcome tragic events in life by normalizing their feelings, by reminding them of the many coping skills they already possess, by giving them a space to discuss the unthinkable, and by assisting them to draw on those elements of their faith tradition that speak to healing and hope.

Without the latter, I do not believe it possible to move on. For without hope, which I believe comes from God, there is no reason to persevere, no reason to even try. But with hope, we can receive the strength we need to look at the horror of the twin towers, the pentagon, and the crash site in Pennsylvania, and still be able to stand.

I encourage everyone to take some time today to remember how fleeting life can be by reflecting on those who have given their lives since that fateful day. And then make a conscious effort to celebrate the life we have and the freedom we have to live it.