Is it just me, or are there others out there who think that September 11 should be a national day of mourning? It has been said that you grieve in direct proportion to the depth that you loved. For many, the love they have for our country was reignited on that tragic day.
Millions of flags flew at half-mast. We are still fighting wars that were caused by the attack, and sadly, lives continue to be lost. I know we already have Memorial and Veteran's Day, but I think the date of 9/11 causes us all to conjure up the haunting images.
I watched in disbelief when the second jetliner crashed into the other tower, and the horrific moment will never be erased from my psyche. The dust and death that spilled into our minds and hearts was overwhelming for many.
I think it's important to the soul of our nation that we honor our emotions around the day that changed our country and the world forever.
It wouldn't be a day for backyard barbecues and beach parties. Perhaps we would simply observe an hour of silence during the time the attack took place, or would take a few minutes to remember and allow ourselves to feel the loss. Maybe we would just drive with our headlights on.
Those who work with the dying know that, until you grieve, you can't heal and move on. Giving ourselves this time to observe and share our collective sorrow as Americans, and to empathize with one another, is just one way to help us become whole again.
Life will go on, but it will never be the same. We lost our sense of security. Now, with the added threat of terrorism, we all think twice about sending our kids across the country on a jet. And a lot more people are looking over their shoulders, sometimes with silent suspicion, at who is flying on the same plane. Not a great way to go through life.
I am not a political animal and don't really know how a national day of mourning would be created. But, as a child of the 60s, I do believe that "we the people" can make changes by stepping up and letting others know how we feel.
There really is no one right way to observe the day. Check in with your heart, see how you are moved, and follow your feelings. You can't go wrong.
I, for one, will spend the morning of September 11 at some place that will embrace the emotions inspired by the day, where I will think and feel deeply about all that we have lost and all that we still have to be grateful for.
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