As time passes it is easy to forget things or events that do not affect us personally. Personal pain or discomfort cause things to burn on to our memories much like brands are burned onto cattle. However, there are events that are so traumatic, so far reaching that even the most remotely affected individual has their memory seered finitely.
When September 11, 2001 dawned bright and clear nine years ago, the world had no idea what events would transpire within the midday hours. For many people they got up and followed their morning routines and went about their business as they had for days, weeks, months and for some even years previous. However, in the days following the events of September 11, 2001 many people began to look at the world around them differently. Songs were written, some angry, some introspective, some melancholy, all trying to express the many and varied feelings and emotions that coursed through our country and the world. In the weeks and months following the events of September 11, we came together as a country, searching for healing, searching for direction, searching for answers.
I so very naively hoped, even believed, that this was a turning point in our country's history, much like World War I, The Civil War, or even the War for Independence, where we would put aside all of the trivial differences and unite as one country. We may have, but then we went back to being comfortable. Safe. Content to let the events that occurred in such a short time be over and done with. Yes, we still "remember" every year. We light our candles, say our prayers, sing our songs, and give our speeches. Do we really remember? What do we "remember?" Do we remember the fear? Do we remember the anxiousness? Do we remember the sense of needing each other? Do we remember the pain? Do we remember why? Or do we instead, have selective memory? Remembering only the "facts" we choose and leaving out those that do not support what we choose to believe, or those that are to vivid and painful. Sometimes we have to be uncomfortable to remember, truly remember.
'The horror of that moment,' the King went on, 'I shall never, never forget!'
'You will, though,' the Queen said, 'if you don't make a memorandum of it.'
Lewis Carroll (1832 - 1898)
When September 11, 2001 dawned bright and clear nine years ago, the world had no idea what events would transpire within the midday hours. For many people they got up and followed their morning routines and went about their business as they had for days, weeks, months and for some even years previous. However, in the days following the events of September 11, 2001 many people began to look at the world around them differently. Songs were written, some angry, some introspective, some melancholy, all trying to express the many and varied feelings and emotions that coursed through our country and the world. In the weeks and months following the events of September 11, we came together as a country, searching for healing, searching for direction, searching for answers.
I so very naively hoped, even believed, that this was a turning point in our country's history, much like World War I, The Civil War, or even the War for Independence, where we would put aside all of the trivial differences and unite as one country. We may have, but then we went back to being comfortable. Safe. Content to let the events that occurred in such a short time be over and done with. Yes, we still "remember" every year. We light our candles, say our prayers, sing our songs, and give our speeches. Do we really remember? What do we "remember?" Do we remember the fear? Do we remember the anxiousness? Do we remember the sense of needing each other? Do we remember the pain? Do we remember why? Or do we instead, have selective memory? Remembering only the "facts" we choose and leaving out those that do not support what we choose to believe, or those that are to vivid and painful. Sometimes we have to be uncomfortable to remember, truly remember.
'The horror of that moment,' the King went on, 'I shall never, never forget!'
'You will, though,' the Queen said, 'if you don't make a memorandum of it.'
Lewis Carroll (1832 - 1898)
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