Tomorrow is the 15th anniversary of one of the most tragic days in our history. I was there. I was there for 36 straight hours and saw things that were beyond frightening. Many know my story and I’m not going to re-tell it today but I want to share an observation.
When people ask me what is the most memorable aspect of ‘that day’, my answer is usually the same, in as much as there was plenty of horror, it was the human spirit shown on that day forward that remains with me.
What people did to care for others during this time was tremendous. The outpouring of love and the incredible drive to help one another was remarkable. The manner in which we came together to give, give, and give even more in all things physical and spiritual was unprecedented.
Somewhere, we lost that spirit, I think.
I get sad when I see some of what I see. When we become less compassionate when a child needs diabetes supplies and an entire community writes to a CEO to change the fact that the child is denied for reasons that make no sense; that is bothersome to me.
In a country where seniors are mis-treated, almost abused, for much-needed life-saving medical equipment for the only reason they turn 65; that is bothersome to me.
When I see this country, literally, act with such bitterness—REAL BITTERNESS– toward each other merely based on their political belief, that is bothersome to me.
When I see division on how we treat each other relying more on why we are different rather than what we have in common; that is bothersome to me.
When I see discussions more to prove how ‘right’ one is and how ‘wrong’ another is with such ugly tones in the discussion; that is bothersome to me.
Have we become a me right, you wrong society? Do we need another 2996 people to be killed in an attack to remind us what we should all be about? Do we need death and pain to soften our hearts once again? What will it take?
I usually find a corner to be by myself on 9/11 anniversaries; to reflect of the people I met on that day and continue to pray for them and the so many families I was in contact with who lost loved ones on that day I also try to do something good for someone on anniversary days, albeit as small as it might be. I’m glad I have a diabetes meeting to attend tomorrow.
We are an angry nation. We are a bitter nation. And we are facing off against each other more than ever before. There IS SO MUCH good in our world, but the focus is constantly on the bad. I want the America back again that I witnessed in the aftermath of fifteen years ago; it seemed like we had a more unified spirit. I liked that spirit.
A light kept in the dark too long will come to a point where it is so extinguished that it can never be lit again. We should look very hard within to find that spirit of light again, it served us well.
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