9.11 thought

I met a man for whom 9/11 was much more personal than it is to me.  He lost a good friend that day, was close enough that he watched through binoculars the second plane hit.  He lived through the confusion only to see the aftermath - Not just of physical destruction - but of emotional destruction.  People who were trusting - became less so.  People who wanted to hate - had more reason to do so.  Fear of anything and everything different grew.  He saw those who had lived by his side look at him with concern and step back a little.  His home is in India.  Yet in many ways he is much more connected to this event than I am.  

9/11 for me was waking up to a news story that was awful.  I knew no one in New York.  I watched the events over and over again on t.v.  It was slightly unreal.  The tsunami in Japan this past year was similar for me.   Huge destruction - far away  - lives lost, how could this have happened - What is going to happen next - What clean up is necessary?  How do we keep moving forward?  What i s the fallout?

Political speeches -  the world changes - For good?  For bad?  Both it seems - changes.  

9/11 was a rallying cry for Americans to become patriotic.  I think it should have been a rallying cry for Americans to be more connected to the world as a whole.  My friend, this man I met, is one of many international folks who lived through that day and for whom it was much more personal.  The world cried with us that day.  

The world is a very large place - and yet oh so interconnected.