As we approach the 10th anniversary of September ll, 2001, I would like to share with you my experience,
just as each of you will in your own way remember that fateful day and how it affected your life.
It certainly touched a nerve all over the world.

My husband and I were in the midst of our vacation in France.
As we prepared to go to breakfast, he turned on the TV and was shocked to see what at first we thought to be a movie of a plane hitting the Twin Towers in New York City...
and then to our horror, we realized it was for real.
Our eyes were glued to the TV in disbelief. How could this be?
We had never before experienced anything of this magnitude in our country.

About then, our French friends called us.
Though they speak limited English, Michel and Joelle expressed their sympathy
and offered that we could stay at their home if we were unable to return to the U.S..
I cannot tell you how comforting that was.

As we checked out of the hotel in St. Remy, the gal at the desk knew we were Americans,
and I'm sure she could tell by my red, swollen eyes that I had been crying.
She took both my hands in hers, looked in my eyes and in her limited English said how sorry she was for our country.
And then I cried some more.

We still had several more days left to our vacation.
Needless to say, they were not the happy, carefree days we had hoped for.
We were angry that this had happened, sad for those who lost their lives and for their families, fearful of more attacks, and frightened to get on a plane to fly home.
We worried about our children back home and I sent them each a special card and message
as I was afraid we might never see them again should something terrible happen to our plane.

On the day we were to return home, we took a shuttle to the airport and it picked up several other couples.
They were all Americans. It was very early in the morning and there was talk about the tragedy of 9/11.

The last couple to be picked up was a Middle Eastern couple... she with a veil, and suddenly
there was a palpable tension and not a word was spoken in the van on the rest of the trip to the airport.
I did not know if this couple spoke English and of course, as Americans,
I am quite sure that we were all thinking of those horrific pictures of the planes crashing into the buildings.

As I sat in the silence... I felt badly.
It was not this man and woman who were responsible for these horrible acts.
And I am sure that they were very ill at ease as well.
I tried to put myself "in their shoes", so to speak, and I was ashamed for not greeting them as they entered the van.
There was not a word spoken for the rest of the trip.

Our stop was the first at the airport and as we got out of the van and started to gather our things,
I turned to the woman and said to her this simple sentence...
"Please be safe!" I did not know if she would understand what I said.
As I got to the doors and prepared to enter the airport, I looked back at the van.
Her eyes were riveted on me and she raised her hand and waved.
I cannot tell you how much that meant to me and I hope that the brief exchange meant something to her.

Nursing is known to be a compassionate profession and we must never lose sight of the need for compassion in our lives.

I would like to share a couple of my favorite quotes about compassion with you...

"Compassion is not religious business, it is human business.
It is not luxury. It is essential for our own peace and mental stability.
It is essential for human survival."
Dalai Lama


“Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace.”
Albert Schweitzer