Saturday, September 11, 2010

Nine Years Ago Like Yesterday: In Memory of 9/11

I can hardly believe it has been nine year.  I can remember where I was and what I did with a clarity unlike any other memory. 
It seems like my generation has been peppered with the "where were you when...?" moments from the ugly disaster pages of a textbook.  Mount St. Helens.  The Challenger. Chernobyl. Rwandan Genocide. Andrew. Katrina. The Boxing Day Tsunami. Chinese Earthquake. Pakistan Flooding. Cyclone Nargis. Haitian Earthquake. 9/11.
After each tragic event - natural or man-made - people seem to forget their differences and unite.  Then, all too, soon the bonds start to fall apart and fingers start to be pointed.  Instead of accepting the tragedy for what it was and looking for a way to prevent it from happening again, we want to blame.
Left, right; black, white, Christian, Atheist, Jew, Muslim, rich, poor - our labels are defined.
Today, I would like us all to remember that there is only ONE label, and we all share it.
We are HUMAN.
Celebrate your humanity today in honor of those who lost their lives that sunny September morning.  Do something nice for a stranger without regard to their race, religion, sexual orientation, political opinions, or economic standing.