We Will Not Forget

 Today is the 22nd anniversary of the World Trade Center bombings on a now notorious day: 9-11-01. Those of us who are over the age of 40 most certainly remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when the facade of American invincibility was shattered and we were attacked on our own ground. Hatred of the American way of life caused violent extremists to plot and carry out a horrific attack that we will never forget.

My daughter was attending college in Staten Island at the time and her dorm room view across the New York Harbor made it possible for her to view the attack in terrifying real world detail. The cell phone towers were blocked and it was impossible to make or receive a call to that area for days, so it was especially terrifying for us as well, not knowing if she was safe.

It was a terrible time for our whole country, but also a unifying period, when we came together as Americans to mourn and rebuild hope for our future.

We were able to put political and cultural differences aside and truly be the United States of America for a time. We united against the threat of terrorism and healing came out of that tragedy by the power of prayer and goodwill.

It is strange to look back on that period and almost be nostalgic for that post-tragedy time of coming together to rebuild our faith in the goodness of humanity.Today, it seems, we have turned against ourselves and our greatest threat is domestic terrorism. Mass shootings occur with disturbing regularity and are often what we call "hate crimes", when one or more individuals hate those who are different from themselves so much that they go on violent killing sprees to try to make some kind of twisted statement and go down in infamy. It's frightening to think about the ways that hatred can fester and then spread, erupting into violence. Those of us who continually pray for peace may sometimes feel that it's a losing battle. But I believe that we can tip the balance for good with enough prayer and peaceful actions.

Our country seems so divided politically and culturally that it can be hard to know where to start. As with every situation, I believe that it is more important now than ever before to try to find the positive in each person, to seek the common ground and appeal to people's better natures. What are the things that are important to us all? Family values, music, sports, spirituality (without the divisiveness of forcing one's religion on someone else), leisure activities like camping, hiking and entertainment. I find that there are always ways to relate to people without bringing up the divisive topics of religion and politics. It's not up to us to judge anyone's personal decisions. 

Our job, as children of a loving Creator, is "to show mercy, to love kindness and to walk humbly with our God" (Micah 6:8). In this way, we can be a model for those among us who may be angry and feel they've been treated unjustly. Instead of reacting angrily to the person expressing road rage, we can remain calm, not knowing what that person may be going through. Often, we can talk an angry person down by just listening and showing that we care. Do what Jesus would do, in every situation and we may just find that we can make a difference.