I Will Not Forget

Today marks 20 years since the 9/11 tragedy of 2001. Just yesterday, and a million years ago.

I remember where I was when I heard the news...driving to work on a normal Tuesday. Wait. What did Len Howser just say on the Christian radio? I worked in a church, and we spent the day watching the news, pivoting plans for Sunday and praying with people who just wandered in, not knowing where else to bring their grief and disbelief.

I work in a different church today, and as the realization of this anniversary dawned on me, I created this graphic for our Facebook page.

We will not forget. I will never forget what happened on this day 20 years ago, because it forever changed me. This American tragedy, felt around the world, changed all of us. 

One of the comforts on September 11, 2001 was that I was not alone in my grief. It was a burden to share, kind of like the grief we are all experiencing in our Covid world today. The big difference is the lack of a common enemy today. When terrorists fly commercial planes into prominent skyscrapers in the City That Never Sleeps, everyone knows that the enemy is the terrorists. Everyone. We were all agreed.

The enemies in this pandemic world are many and varied. Is the government/politician the enemy? Is the virus's country of origin the enemy? Is that guy, wearing a mask over there, an enemy? Is that lady, not wearing a mask, an enemy? These are just a few of the options, but the point stands. We do not know who to blame for the current state of unrest in our country, in our world...and our diverse opinions leave us divided. 

When we experience grief outside community, we miss out on comfort and healing. Grief is stunted when we go it alone. Think about traditions surrounding the loss of a loved one. The visitation, the funeral or celebration of life, the meal afterwards, the family gathering to go through that loved one's belongings, dispersing the treasures and sharing the memories...all of these are snapshots of community. The family community, loving each other and finding a way to move forward. The larger community of friends and associates, sharing condolences and validating the grief, so that we are free to feel it and move forward. 

How do we move forward without that community, without being seen and heard and comforted? Without seeing, hearing and comforting others around us, we cannot move forward within. How do we unite and move forward without a common enemy? 

The answer is easier than it seems: Focus not on the enemy, but instead on the friend, the neighbor, our sisters and brothers in humanity. The answer is kindness, grace and forgiveness. The answer is not dwelling on a hurt or a difference of opinion, but celebrating the ways we are the same as we make our way through this life. Just like we did 20 years ago, when we gathered in the places that comforted us and surrounded ourselves with loved ones. 

We may not have forgotten the tragedy of that Tuesday morning, but I fear that we have forgotten what brought us through our grief and made us stronger. Looking at our divided world today, I fear that we have forgotten that we are all human beings, just doing our best to cope and deal with the hand life has dealt us. We must not forget that.

As I reflect today, I am planning some time to still my soul. I will knit on one of my favorite projects, and I will remember that God knit me together in my mother's womb (Psalm 139:13), creating me in his image (Genesis 1:27) and calling me to do good things in his name, according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). Among those good things is loving my neighbor (Mark 12:31), so I will continue to do that as well as I can.

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?

Where are you today? What are you doing to get through? 

Find your feelings. Find your tribe. Find your way...and remember that the greatest gift we have to share with one another is love. 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health. 

Still recalibrating. :)