I Believe In Faith
I awoke in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. Glancing at the time assured me two more hours before my five a.m. alarm would sound. The nightmare I had just experienced was so fearsome it kept my heart pounding for several more minutes in the still of the room before I could gain the courage to shake my husband awake. I told him that I was too nervous for him to leave on his scheduled TDY which was just three days away. I had been dreaming that bombs were going off on planes and that I wanted him to stay state side just in case. He laughed and thought I was reacting to his upcoming absence in a very dramatic way. That was early in the morning on September 8, 2001. The next few days flew by with lots to do before his departure. As the day drew closer, now only within hours, I could not sleep because I could not shake that odd dream from the other night. I asked him specifically that evening what would happen if something happened in America while he was away, what if someone attacked us? He chuckled and calmly stated that no one is crazy enough to mess with America. I didn’t sleep a wink as I kept thinking of this young Senior Airman next me, my husband. I prayed that the Lord keep him safe and secretly put a silver rosary, which had been blessed by The Pope and given to me by my great grandmother, in a satin pouch and into a pocket in his luggage. I wrote a note that should he happen to find the rosary he must promise to return it home safe to me. The next day was September 11, 2001. We left our newly moved into apartment around four am and headed for the base and then the airport. I held onto him tightly before his flight boarded and eventually depart at seven a.m. central time. What happened over the course of the next few hours is history. We all know the story of the planes crashing into the Twin Towers. I don’t even need to tell you the wretched fright I experienced when I returned home and watched the news only to see my worst nightmare had just come true. My husband, my soldier, did return home to me with rosary in hand several months later, alive and in one piece. Things had changed so much in such little time for our country that day. What I know is true is that my love and my faith has never wavered and when times get tough and bad things happen, I know that once my prayers were answered.