Letter to the Editor

As a relatively new flight attendant for Northwest Airlines, I was

scheduled on a trip to North Carolina the Friday following the attack on

the World Trade Center. I love to fly and I love my job. However, while

preparing for the flight I found myself visibly shaking with fear.

As someone who naturally turns to God in a time of need, I listened

for a comforting thought. The message I heard was a Bible verse from John

4:18, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear.”

The verse said to me -- just love. So I became determined to love

everything about the world and my job. I loved my co-workers, the

passengers, yes and even the terrorists -- as difficult as that was. This

verse inspired and comforted me and allowed me to do my job.

After we boarded all the passengers, I realized that the plane hadn’t

been catered since Sept. 11. I asked first-class passengers if they

wanted to wait for ice or leave. The answer was a resounding “let’s go.”

So we closed the doors and prepared to push back. Just then the first

officer told me that there was someone on the tarmac with a bag of ice

and I could open the catering door and he would hand it up to me. Since

we were on a DC 9 that was possible.

I asked the other flight attendant to hold my feet as I lay on the

galley floor and reached down to get two bags of ice that the caterer was

holding up to me. The plane erupted in cheers and applause and we pushed

back with ice in the drinks.

As the passengers got off the plane in North Carolina, there were many

hugs and comments of “God speed” and “God bless you.” I was grateful I

was able to just love. And I’m grateful that I could see the same love

being shown by passengers -- the love that can’t be taken away under any

circumstances.

Nancy Walker

Huntington Beach