Travelers left heart-felt messages at airport

For many, the anxiety of flying after so great a tragedy was allayed by a visit to the Albany International Airport's Interfaith Meditation Room, where a small, ordinary notebook became a repository for their prayers and hopes.

They prayed to God to protect their loved ones, to give courage to airline pilots and stewards, and to inspire leadership in world lawmakers and statesmen.

Two messages

* "God only knows who is right or wrong in this tragedy," wrote an unidentified airline passenger only a few hours after the towers collapsed. "His will be done. I pray for all of us in this world who are affected by this hatred. I also pray that all of this hate and evil is put aside."

* "May God bless on a very sad day," wrote another traveler.

Later in the week, some prayed for miracles, hoping that survivors would be found. On Sept. 24, a traveler petitioned: "Dear Jesus, let there be miracles of people being rescued alive in that rubble; send them air until they are rescued; keep them alive to be a testament."

Some prayed for healing, thanked God for the heroism that had taken place in the falling dust of the Trade Center, and asked that "we bridge and heal the chasm within us of good and evil. Love is the way."

Pleas and thank you

"Please protect our nation," pleaded a traveler who came through on Sept. 19. "Protect our allies, and help us eliminate animosity amongst nations and countries considered our foes."

On the same day, another wayfarer asked that "we learn to understand, respect and appreciate all humans on Earth of all faiths, and may we some day learn to stop our violence and live in peace."

"I'm sorry about how we Christians have treated our Muslim brothers and sisters," wrote a teenage passenger. "Let there be peace among people of all creeds, colors and economic levels. Let's work together for true social justice and change."

Variety of sentiments

Mindful of the more concrete aspects of airline flight, one passenger asked God to "give divine insight to the pilots, that they will react quickly and correctly to every incident as it arises."

Another prayed to God to "please especially bless the brave pilots, stewards and airport workers who keep us all in the air."

Many faiths

Practitioners of Eastern faiths signed their entries with the word "Namaste," which means "I bow to the divine in you" in Sanskrit. Others invoked a goddess; some blessed newcomers in the name of Allah; and one exuberantly proclaimed, "All praise to Buddha!"

"May the power of love prove stronger than the power of evil," prayed a traveler, identified only as "S." Another, mindful of talk of war and retaliation, prayed for something simpler: "Please do not allow us to cause pain to others. Amen."

(09-05-02) [[In-content Ad]]