9/11: A Reflection

As I look back on September 11, 2001, I feel an aching in my heart. I'm not one to be very expressive of my emotions so my attempt to describe how I feel is a little difficult. But I think it's a mixture of sadness, compassion, hope, and pride. I'm sure many of us on Splendora know someone who was directly or indirectly affected by the tragedy.

One of the designers at my company told me the story of her husband who worked in one of the Towers on the 85th floor (the plane hit the 84th floor) and she was 8 1/2 months pregnant. He just happened to be in a Queens court for a case he was working on and wasn't at the office; but she had no idea where he was because the phone lines were down. She said he sheds tears every 9/11 as he watches the news and the various programs dedicated to 9/11. None of his co-workers made it home that night. A whole office completely lost ...along with 2 iconic buildings and 2000+ lives.

I feel a tremendous sadness for the lives lost and the families who lost their sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, fathers, mothers. But I also feel disappointment that our country, unified back then under such tragic circumstances, has completely divided again. The story of the "Jena Six" broke my heart. That such perverse actions as hanging three nooses from a tree could be tolerated as a practical joke sickens me. The image reminds me of the volatile 50s and the decades previous when people pretended lynchings were either excusable or non-existent. While violence should never be the first or last resort to conflict resolution, I can understand the frustration and betrayal these students felt. And I'm sure this is not the only story of such preverse acts.

However, I do feel great pride in the volunteers and site workers which included police officers, fire fighters, EMT personnel, construction workers from all over the country to assist with the search for survivors, the clean-up, and the memorial. Also, to the soldiers fighting in various parts of the world, especially in Iraq, I salute you all. Regardless of everyone's differing stances on the war, I know there isn't a single person who isn't appreciative of our men & women in uniform.

Rudy Guiliani, as the Mayor of NYC in October 2001, said to the United Nations: “This massive attack was intended to break our spirit. It has not done that. It has made us stronger, more determined and more resolved.”

While I don't feel the same kind of spirit now as Mayor Guiliani described back then, I look forward to a brighter future for the US where people can agree to disagree, tolerate people of different faiths, beliefs, skin colors, sexual orientations, and still feel that we indeed can all be 'American'. 

*Photo credited to http://images.twiet.nl/world_trade_center.php