Never Forget.

NEVER FORGET.  Everyone keeps posting this sentiment today, as it marks the 15^th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy.  I remember where I was that day, what I was doing, just like so many Americans.  I remember driving home from work with an uneasy feeling.  I remember thinking this will bring a new perspective to our lives.  Like so many of my generation, we had never really experienced war first hand.  Sure many of us knew someone who had gone to Iraq, but for so many of us we had lived life in a sheltered existence.  Always feeling safe.  Invincible.  When I was younger we were watching the news during dinner one night and a story about a hijacking in the Middle East was on.  I asked my dad if that could ever happen here in the US.  When he simply said no, I asked why not?  His response was that we are the strongest nation and would bomb the crap out of whoever was responsible.  I really did find comfort in those words.

There was no comfort in those words on the way home from work that day, however.  As I looked at the cars around me on Route 2, all returning to the suburbs after a long work day in the city, everyone had the same blank stare.  My thoughts began to come full circle at that moment.  I kept thinking that this will unite us, and bring us together.  For so long I looked around me and saw everyone rushing through life with their heads down, not even looking at their neighbor nevermind taking a moment to connect.  We were all connected to our inner circle, but no one else mattered.  I kept thinking-this will change, we will become communities again. 

Unfortunately, it didn’t take too long for this dream to fade.  And I must admit that as busy as I am, I am just as guilty as the next person at not taking the time to be part of the community.  I do try to be polite at all times.  Say thank you.  Be considerate of those around me.  But it saddens me to see this lacking in so many around us, especially as our divisions grow deeper through this election cycle.  We are repbulicans, we are democrats.  We are black lives matter, or police lives matter. Until we are simply AMERICANS who believe that ALL LIVES MATTER, nothing will change. 

So my question to you is this.  Never Forget.  Of course you won’t.  You couldn’t possibly forget.  Instead I want to ask HOW WILL IT CHANGE YOU?  How can we look back and use this to unite us?  We are broken as a nation.  How can we move forward?  Not with hate, but with a way to find common ground, to respect each other once again.  That is what I want to see come of all this.  One nation, under God.  Let’s see if we can find our way home.