Being born on Long Island and having so much family close to the gravitational pull from the five boroughs, I have always loved New York City. While living in Georgia, I loved our trips back to New York and into the city. I was in awe of its size and complexity. It was and still is a place to me that represents what is so great about the American experiment. It is raw, passionate, violent, ugly, gritty, lively, artistic, encompassing, peaceful, and so much more. It is filled with so many things that should not go together, all packed in 305 square miles of land, and it works. Somehow, against all odds the city comes together as a beautiful mosaic of ideas and peoples. None of us who experienced it will ever forget September 11, 2001 but I think we have a choice about how to remember it. On that day, a group of individuals tried to take a piece of not only that city that I love but also a piece of American ideals. I will always remember those individuals who lost their life on that day but I choose to honor their tragic deaths by remembering our response. America fought back that day and in the coming weeks. Yes, there were military campaigns and wars that still go on today but regardless of your position on their necessity that is not what I am most proud of. I am proud of how America fought back with compassion and love. In the day to day, we often lose sight of the fact that we are all on the same team. We are in this world together, all striving for similar basic goals; especially in the United States of America - a country that rightly celebrates our individuality and uniqueness. On September 11, I saw brave men and women stare into the falling towers and run fearlessly into danger in order to protect people that they did not know. I saw people in Georgia shed tears and hug strangers. I held hands in Church with people who I had no tangible connection with and sang Amazing Grace weeks later. I know there were pockets of dissent and violence that I am also ashamed of but more broadly speaking that is what I will choose to remember on this day. How a group of individuals tried to take down the ideals of our country and the ideals of our country stood tall. How against all odds, people from all over this country with no tangible common bond, who looked different than each other, who worshiped differently, who believed drastically different things.... All those people came together in a beautiful mosaic that made me proud to be a citizen of the United States of America. 9/11 NEVER FORGET
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 12:57:16 +0000
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