On Monday...people went to work at the World Trade Center as usual.
On Tuesday...they died.

On Monday...we worried about the traffic and getting to work late.
On Tuesday...we worried about a plane crashing into our houses or places of work.

On Monday...we were irritated that our rebate checks had not arrived.
On Tuesday...we saw people mourning the deaths of those in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania.

On Monday...some children had real families.
On Tuesday...they were orphans.

On Monday...we were talking about heroes as being athletes.
On Tuesday...we learned what "hero" meant.

On Monday...the President was going to Florida to read to children.
On Tuesday...the President returned to Washington to protect our children.

On Monday...people argued with their kids about picking up clothes in their rooms.
On Tuesday...the same people could not get home fast enough to hug their kids.

On Monday...people were upset that their dry cleaning was not ready on time.
On Tuesday...they were lining up to give blood for the dying.

On Monday...people were trying to separate one another by race, sex, color and creed.
On Tuesday...they were all holding hands.

On Monday...we thought that we were secure.
On Tuesday...we learned better.

It is sadly ironic how it takes horrible and frightful events to place things into perspective...but it has.  The lessons learned those days, the things we have taken for granted, the things that have been forgotten or overlooked, will never be forgotten again.

So what does all this mean?  Hold on to the truth...the gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.  Trouble and tribulation and testing will always come into our world and into our lives.  The issue of character is not what happens to us...but what happens in us.

Derric Johnson
Copyright © 2001 by J & J Music, Inc.
Used by permission.