HomeHomeSeptember 11th, 2002
"Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom"
Psalm 90:12This day marks the first anniversary of one of the most unbelievable and painful days in American history, and for the past month there has been over-analysis about how much or little we’ve changed as a result of the terror attacks, and how we’ll handle re-living the memories of what we experienced and witnessed. As if we weren’t stressed enough, our government has issued a new heightened state of alert (code orange), amid the possibility that we may be attacked again, either here or abroad.
Aside from the psychological pain, and apart from the political, economic, and/or religious arguments of who is right and who is wrong in our war against terror, and who is to blame for what happened, the real tragedy of September 11th is not merely theoretical--it is ultimately about the people whose lives were lost, and the loved ones they left behind. It is not just an "American" story. The victims of the attacks were from over 60 countries around the globe.
The affected people in New York, Washington, Pennsylvania, and those in the hijacked airplanes were merely going to work, living their daily lives and routines or going on business or pleasure trips, on what seemed like an ordinary day. There are nearly 3,000 stories--legacies of lives cut painfully and unexpectedly short.
In a culture uncomfortable with death, how are we supposed to approach this anniversary? One way is to face our discomfort head on. The following words from the Dalai Lama provide an interesting perspective (An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life, Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 2001):
""From the moment of birth, we are approaching this inevitable demise. Then we must also contemplate that the time of our death is uncertain. Death does not wait for us to tidy up our lives. It strikes unannounced. At the time of our death, friends and family, the precious possessions we have so meticulously collected throughout our lives, are of no value. Not even this previous body, the vehicle of this lifetime, is of any use. Such thoughts help us diminish our preoccupation with the concerns of our present lives"
Awareness of death should not be cause for depression; rather, it should be reminder that we are only here for a brief time. Have we lived fully? Have we loved enough? What are the legacies that we want to leave behind? These are the questions to ask ourselves now.
In addition, we must be mindful that we are born into an unjust world. Do we want to leave more pain in an already hurting planet or do we want to develop compassionate hearts? Do we want to be remembered for the love we gave or the hatred we sowed? We do have a choice.
Teresa
tcallies@hotmail.comThe following item by an anonymous author, with numbers which are only approximate, has been widely quoted for many years, and puts it all in perspective:
If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100
people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would
look something like the following. There would be:
57 Asians
21 Europeans
14 from the Western Hemisphere, both north and south
8 would be Africans
52 would be female
48 would be male
70 would be non-white
30 would be white
70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian
6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth and all 6 would
be from the United States.
80 would live in substandard housing
70 would be unable to read
50 would suffer from malnutrition
ONE would be near death; ONE would be near birth
ONE would have a college education
ONE would own computer.
When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education become glaringly apparent.
And, therefore . . . If you have food in th refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep,you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If your parents are still alive and still married, you are very rare, even in the United States.
If you can hold someone's hand, hug them, or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer healing touch.
If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.
Some items of interest related to September 11th:
Jason Powers’ touching web site dedicated to the victims of September 11th evokes the strong emotions of that day. You can see it at http://www.cantcryhardenough.com/.
Another poignant site is dedicated to the victims of September 11th, 2001
From another interesting perspective, the Sydney Morning Herald writers reflect on September 11th.
President Bush has asked Americans to devote ourselves to a "September of Service."
If you want to make a difference but don’t know where to begin, check out Idealist.com or your local United Way.
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