BRAVERY - by Lucas

"The difference between someone who is scared and someone who is brave is that the brave person is scared, but tries anyway. Bravery cannot exist without
fear."

On September 11, 2001 my wife and I were in the middle of training in Manchester, England. We, and another American in the program, were asked to step
outside the room. We were informed that two planes crashed into the World Trade
Center buildings in an apparent terrorist attack. They wanted us to know before
everyone else because it was our country and home. We stood there in shocked
silence for a moment as a few details were given.

While we listened to the news, the rest of the students, from all across
Britain, Europe, Africa and Canada, were told the same shocking news. A few,
presumably with ties to America through friends and family, came into the hall
to support us. I do not remember what words were spoken, but I do remember the
tears.

So many people, almost three-and-a-half thousand miles away from New York City,
were broken. I do not know what thoughts were flowing through their minds. Was
it sorrow, fear, anger, bitterness, rage, confusion, compassion? After a few
minutes of simply huddling together, our tears falling to the floor of the
hallway, just as debris and humans were falling from the towers, the news came.
Another plane had crashed into the Pentagon and a fourth plane seemed destined
for the White House.

Fervent prayer ensued. We, as a community of Christians, prayed together in
faith that the fourth plane would not make its destination. We prayed for divine
intervention on a human event. Our prayers were already answered in the form of
the brave passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93. All we found out at
the time was that the plane never made it to Washington D.C.

Many stories have been told of men and women helping others evacuate. Many tales
of people charging into certain death to do everything they could to ensure that
others would not. Still, stories will never be told of those who could not
escape, but faced death and stared it down. Those who stayed behind by choice so
as not to leave those too beaten, broken, burned, bruised to die alone. Those
who stayed behind to help others face fear. People who were brave for those who
could not be brave.

If I ever need to teach my son the definition of bravery, I need not only look
to my country's men and women who serve in public, military and voluntary roles,
but to those who were thrust into service. They are heroes too. Millions were
scared that day. Thousands were brave.