Seven years ago today as the terrible events unfolded, my wife and I were right in the middle of welcoming our baby girl into the world. Our time at the hospital was very surrealistic; the nurse wouldn't stay in our room, preferring instead to watch television, and the people in the waiting area were sobbing as the news that morning was broadcast. But for us, Emma's birth was a covering over us. It was a reminder that even in the darkest of times, seeds of joy can blossom and grow.
Today, my wife and I visited Emma's school to have lunch with her and her classmates in 1st grade. As we walked by a group of children in the parking lot, we overheard a teacher explain to her students why the flag was flying at half staff. The children seemed to take it all in with a look of solemnity and understanding, but without that posture of despair that so many adults experience. And in the lunchroom, the seriousness of the anniversary gave way to delightful laughter as the children traded french fries for cookies and got icing all over their faces from the birthday cake Emma chose for us to bring to share.
The day was a wonderful reminder that as long as there are children in our lives, joy trumps tragedy.
- Hap Aziz