Bitter memories.
Dear friends,
One drawer of my filing cabinet is used for reference and stories. It is in alphabetical order, so there is a rough guide as where a particular article or file may be found. Even with the increasing use of firstly the computer, and then the internet, I still find it useful. What started as a place for newspaper cuttings has morphed over the years into a historical anthology, charting changes in trends, current affairs, personal interests, and oddities. A sort of paper version of the Old Curiosity Shop. However there was only ever one occasion when a simple cutting would not suffice. Filed under “W” there are not one but two different full editions of The Times newspaper, both dated Wednesday September 12th 2001. These are now starting to yellow with the passing of the years, but the shock, pain, and anger contained in the images and writing of the attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon take me right back to those bitter days, when America reeled, the Western world cracked, and the hopeful days of patient peacemaking in the middle east of the 1990’s came to an abrupt end. When one asks oneself how it is that America subsequently withdrew from foreign affairs, or how it became self-centred in its politics, or resentful towards former allies who had not suffered such an egregious affront, or sceptical of dialogue that did not have a tangible material benefit, or indeed why they were prepared to go to war against Iran when Europe would have preferred to defer the decision, one could do worse than start at Ground Zero in New York City.
I also keep the whole paper for the simple reason that I remember that there were some in our society who cheered, and celebrated, as the towers attempting to unite humanity through trade fell into rubble, those celebrating thinking that this was the way to peace and justice. Sadly for all of us, the opposite was true, and the cycle of bloodshed has only, with the benefit of twenty five years hindsight, been amplified. The question “why didn’t the Americans pressure the Israelis into a ceasefire in Gaza?” could, in some quarters, be answered “Because they have not forgotten who was cheering on 9/11.”
That September Tiffany Keeling was in New York for the first time. She was attending a training session on computer systems at Morgan Stanley, on the 61st floor of the north tower of the World Trade Centre when the first plane struck the tower higher up. “Suddenly there was a bang and everything shook. We couldn’t understand what had happened. Then we saw hundreds of papers falling past the windows. It looked like it was snowing.” She and her colleagues grabbed their bags and made for the stairwell. Some colleagues turned round and went up again after an announcement saying there was no danger. Miss Keeling kept trudging down the seemingly never ending stairs. Then the second plane hit the south tower. “Suddenly there was chaos. The whole building was shaking. Cracks were appearing all around us. People were everywhere trying to get out. There was blood all over the stairways and you could smell aviation fuel.” By the 25th floor, she was exhausted and believed she could not go on. Then, a stranger, coming down from the 70th floor, found her and told her that he wasn’t leaving the building without her. The pair safely made it to the street level. “We came into the mall at the bottom of the building and the first person I saw was a security guard who was just standing there, crying.” (from the Times of 12/9/2001)
Pray with us, this week, for those who grieve loved ones and those who struggle to be free from the weight of bitter history.
Worship Services for Sunday 13th September
9.30am Morning Prayer at St John’s Stoke Row with Canon Kevin Davies
11am Holy Communion at St Peter and Paul, Checkendon with Canon Kevin Davies.
Midweek zoom service: Wednesday Evensong at 5.00pm 410 935 129
Classical Guitar concert at St John’s Stoke Row.
Please note in your diary: I’m very pleased to be able to invite you to a one-off Tea Concert being held at St John’s Stoke Row, this Saturday 12th September at 4pm. Dr Fernando Aguero will entertain us with his classical (Spanish) guitar for about an hour, and there will be tea and cake afterwards. Entrance is £10 on the door. Dr Aguero teaches the guitar throughout South Oxfordshire, and we are very excited to work with him. Do come and hear his playing in a building which has the perfect acoustic for the instrument, on St John’s wonderfully comfy seats. Everyone from across the Team is very welcome.
…and lastly, I was pleased to bump into the new Bishop of Norwich on a recent visit to that Cathedral (see below) . These places are so named because (i) Cathedra is the Greek word for “seat” – meaning “The Bishop’s seat”. Every cathedral has a chair which only the Bishop can sit in. (ii) The CAThedral is the place where the CAT comes first…always. Sometimes, as in the case of Norwich, by being found already enthroned on the Bishop’s chair at the point in a service when the Bishop needed it.
The solution was obvious to all good Anglicans – the two legged Bishop was required to relocate, and the cat was declared to be elevated to the episcopate, now taking the title “Bishop Budge”. Bishop Budge has a very effective ministry, silently and happily preaching, in the Franciscan way (= ie by deeds and not words) the benefits of regular attendance at church, and prayerful contemplation of the state of the world, in a variety of postures. We chanced upon him during our visit, and a passing verger was happy to tell his story. Of course I had to pause for a selfie (@budgeofnorwich) but received something of an episcopal cold shoulder. Apparently he was sulking as he’d just been refused access to the upper galleries with the “special” tour group. “If he goes up there, we’ll never get him down,” the verger commented.
One Comment
Thank you very much, Kevin, for this most interesting article. I had quite forgotten the scenes of Palestinian people ululating and cheering after the towers fell. Maybe you are right in your assessment, that the American people cannot forgive this reaction to their bitterest moment.
Thank you too for the moving story of Tiffany Keeling. We need to be reminded of this awful event, just as we need to be reminded every November of the tragedy of war. Our world needs much prayer.