Two days ago it was the 9th anniversary of the tragedy of 9/11. On the first anniversary I wrote a series of commentaries that aired on a television special program in New York.
This week on this blog I am posting five of the commentaries in remembrance and reflection.
Commentary One:
When the jolting tragedy of terror grips our lives, as it did on 9/11, there is nothing we can do to change it, to stop it. It happened so fast, so unexpected all we could do is triage our injured and our thoughts.
Terrorists are carriers of terror; their infecting actions amplify our fears and quickly remind us of our vulnerability.
The tears of loss, still today one year later, and the relief that some loved ones are safe, parallel our conflict of understanding why some live and some die.
The stories of neighbor helping neighbor, confirm our desire for community.
The whole story of the World Trade Center attack is not only one of death and dying, living and survival, it is a story of hopes and wishes, shattered dreams and shock.
In times of such destruction, values change rapidly. Things no longer have value. The acquired stuff of daily living is no match for the loss of a life.
There is never a quick end to tragedy. We learned that.
No easy answers to the wailed questions of why and no relief when cries have run out of tears.
It is not possible to hold each hand of so many so hurting even a year later.
All we can do, in this human family, is to be aware and to care.
There is something powerful in that and it heals.
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