When I was younger, marking events was not important to me. I'm not sure why I didn't have a "celebration gene," but one thing I've learned over the years is to spend more time looking forward rather than trying to figure out what screwed us up so badly in the past.
And I've always been amazed at friends who knew exactly how many [hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades] have passed since some huge event in their own lives. Me? I often couldn't tell you my own age, often missing it by a year either way. (Nowadays that might be a good thing!)
But I do think as we age we experience our lives in deeper ways, as well as feeling the impact of events going on around us. Today our country marks 10 years since the horror that shredded our sense of security forever. There is no question of this day's significance. And I feel it deeply on many levels....
For the people working in the Twin Towers and the Pentagon that day,
unaware that hell was about to explode in their faces.
For their families and friends.
Especially their children
For the responders and their families.
Especially their children.
For those on United Flight 93, and their families and friends.
And their children
For those filled with hate and righteousness who perpetrated the horror.
And their families and children.
For all those who have been lost, both military and civilian, in our attempt to
make us safer in a world that will never feel safe again.
And all the children, from the neighborhoods in America to
deserts halfway around the globe.
For all Americans, as shock and fright and fear wrapped their icy arms around us.
Finally, for those who have embraced the brand of hatred of the terrorists,
somehow believing that it is the only way to show our strength.
September 11th can never slip by me unmarked and unobserved. My only hope is that we don't lose our humanity in an attempt to prove our might.
And I've always been amazed at friends who knew exactly how many [hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades] have passed since some huge event in their own lives. Me? I often couldn't tell you my own age, often missing it by a year either way. (Nowadays that might be a good thing!)
But I do think as we age we experience our lives in deeper ways, as well as feeling the impact of events going on around us. Today our country marks 10 years since the horror that shredded our sense of security forever. There is no question of this day's significance. And I feel it deeply on many levels....
For the people working in the Twin Towers and the Pentagon that day,
unaware that hell was about to explode in their faces.
For their families and friends.
Especially their children
For the responders and their families.
Especially their children.
For those on United Flight 93, and their families and friends.
And their children
For those filled with hate and righteousness who perpetrated the horror.
And their families and children.
For all those who have been lost, both military and civilian, in our attempt to
make us safer in a world that will never feel safe again.
And all the children, from the neighborhoods in America to
deserts halfway around the globe.
For all Americans, as shock and fright and fear wrapped their icy arms around us.
Finally, for those who have embraced the brand of hatred of the terrorists,
somehow believing that it is the only way to show our strength.
September 11th can never slip by me unmarked and unobserved. My only hope is that we don't lose our humanity in an attempt to prove our might.
“For never can true reconcilement grow, Where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep.”
John Milton
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