Incident in Manhattan

Shortly after 6:00 this evening I was at my computer when a news alert popped up on MSNBC: "Explosion Reported in Midtown Manhattan." Simultaneously, my cell phone began to ring. I answered the phone and heard my sister Joan's voice, sounding strained and scared. "Elizabeth. The explosion happened right outside my building. What is happening? I am trying to decide what is the safest direction to walk."

She was in her office on the seventh floor when the building started to shake, the windows were suddently covered with mud....and then the glass blew out. Everyone headed for the staircase and, since the building felt stable, had decided to stay there. They didn't know what they would encounter if they headed outside. Suddenly the police burst in, yelling "Get out, get out!" Which is when my beloved sister called me.

She said frantically into the phone, "Can you hear the sound?" I couldn't, given all the confusion. "It sounds like the biggest wind I have ever heard, and it just keeps going and going," she told me. My only advice, given the sketchy information available, was "take off your shoes" (being Joan, of course she was wearing useless shoes), "and head east as fast as you can."

Hours later, we know the details, and thank goodness, it was not as bad as we all originally feared, though certainly bad enough. I love my sister so much. It touched me more deeply than I can ever explain to know that her first call was to me, her big sister "Elizabeth." Thank you, God, for letting it be ok.