Da Goddess

The official death tally was given as 2996, but when you consider the number of people who have died since the attacks on America, the number just keeps growing and those lives are just as worthy of remembrance as everyone else.

Our lives have changed. For a moment, we seemed united. Then we started pointing fingers at one another instead of offering embraces to comfort. I’m done pointing fingers and I want to go back to a time when we hugged strangers and took time to get to know neighbors and others. A time when we stopped rushing so quickly toward unimportant busy work and took time to appreciate the laughter of a child or to feel the warmth of someone’s hand in ours. Where we slowed down a bit to marvel that another day had begun and ended without catastrophe and we thanked God or whomever for that. When we took an extra few minutes to linger at the doorway to watch our children sleep or to just peel an apple for them as they colored on a piece of paper.

Stop rushing. Start counting to 3000 and then keep going…as long as you can. In that time, peel an apple or orange or write a note to put in someone’s lunch bag, place a call to a friend or to someone who maybe once was a friend. Reach out and do something different. Do 3000 different somethings that recognize the lives lost, the lives impacted by September 11, 2001.

Be a little less about yourself and a little more about someone else. The rewards are incredible.

I return to “Rhymes & Reasons” by John Denver, as I have every year since that fateful day. It says so much to me.

So you speak to me of sadness and the coming of the winter
Of fear that is within you now that seems to never end
And the dreams that have escaped you
And the hope that you’ve forgotten
And you tell me that you need me now
And you want to be my friend

And you wonder where we’re going,
Where’s the rhyme and where’s the reason,
And it’s you who cannot accept, it is here we must begin
To seek the wisdom of the children
And the graceful way of flowers in the wind

For the children and the flowers are my sisters and my brothers
Their laughter and their loveliness would clear a cloudy day
Like the music of the mountains and the colors of the rainbow
They’re a promise of the future and a blessing for today.

‘Tho the cities start to crumble and the towers fall around us
The sun is slowly fading and it’s colder than the sea
It is written from the desert to the mountains they shall lead us
By the hand and by the heart they will comfort you and me
In their innocence and trusting they will teach us to be free

For the children and the flowers are my sisters and my brothers
Their laughter and their loveliness would clear a cloudy day
And the song that I am singing is a prayer for non-believers
Come and stand beside us, we can find a better way

Act I, I shall go thank a vet.
Act II, I shall plant some seeds that will someday blossom.
Act III, I shall speak the names of the dead with great reverence.
Act IV, I shall tell my family I love them.

And the rest of the acts will happen as they will. I’ll cease counting and let them just become a way of living for me. Today is the perfect day to do that.

I don’t like this day. I don’t like the memories of the many deaths, some of which were caught on camera. I don’t like thinking of the horror of the events this day 22 years ago.

I hate the fact far too many lost an important part of their family. I hate that it was hate which denied these people a chance at a future.

But, I remember, too, how neighbors came to the aid of those they didn’t know. How we turned to one another to comfort and be comforted. How untold numbers of men and women ran toward danger to help others, to help strangers.

We’ll never forget what happened 22 years ago, nor should we. We must remember the gut-wrenching terror and heartbreaking sorrow, the astonishing heroism and tender outpouring of love, and the tragedy that forever changed the world.

#NeverForget

I have such a difficult time on this date. Despite having friends who have birthdays today, know people who celebrate wedding anniversaries today, etc., I just can’t get the knot in the pit of my stomach to ever fully go away.

All too easily

Doxiciclina Online

, I recall the TV being on and the images of the most unbelievable event I’d ever seen flowing from that glowing box. It was unreal. It was horrifying. My heart wouldn’t stop pounding. I kept thinking about the people trapped in the Twin Towers, the people in the airplanes, the families, the people who were in the area. As much as I knew my life had changed in those hours, I knew theirs had changed even more drastically.

I wanted to throw up. I wanted to scream. I wanted to rain down vengeance upon whoever was responsible for such heinous acts. I also wanted to just wrap myself around my children and protect them from the ugliness and evil that man can inflict upon his fellow man.

Amidst the sorrow and anger, I also felt the power of community and the love most of us carry for our families, friends, neighbors, towns, state, and our country. I stood among the people in my neighborhood and, even though some of us were meeting for the first time, felt the warmth of their handshakes and embraces. We weren’t alone. We were in it together. There was so much more good in the world than bad. The proof was all around me.

But sadness and anger don’t go quietly or quickly. Not even when surrounded by love. They were there, yet we grieved as a group. We relied on one another for support: a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, a hand to hold, and a desire to be better to each other and toward those we encountered in our lives. Mostly, that worked. It helped us through the darkest hours.

As the years have passed since September 11, 2001, we’ve lost much of that sense of love for one another. It’s as if we believe we no longer have need for it. But, of course, we need it now more than ever. We’re struggling to just stay alive these days, literally, in many cases. Lockdown, isolation, quarantine: signs of the times. Makes it harder to be there for others. But we find ways, don’t we? Food left on a doorstep for a neighbor. Phone calls. FaceTime, Skype, Zoom meetings, and many more ways to keep in touch with the people who are in need of some support. We mask up. We wash our hands and/or use hand sanitizer frequently to reduce the risk of spreading disease. We find ways.

And so. Here we are: 19 years after one of the most defining events in our lives, in the midst of another defining event. Let’s remember what happened and apply the lessons we learned then to what we’re going through now. Let’s be good and kind to the people we encounter. Let’s remember how quickly they can be taken from us, whether by acts of terrorism, violence, or disease. Let’s be better versions of ourselves and encourage others to do the same. Lead by example.

Let’s also take a few minutes to remember the losses on that day and in the days since. Let’s remember who we were and who we are deep in our hearts.

Never forget.

Do you remember? I do.

Do you still feel the same shock when you think back on what happened? I do.

We can never forget how that felt. We can never forget how we turned to one another for comfort and strength, as neighbors, as a community, as a nation. For all our imperfections, we are still strong and still ONE NATION. Thank God for that.

May we find peace and understanding somewhere along the way.

This song has always comforted me, though after 9/11/2001 it also chilled me to the bone. Ultimately, I felt more comfort, thus the reason I come back to it time and time again. Even 18 years on.

So you speak to me of sadness
And the coming of the winter
Fear that is within you now
It seems to never end
And the dreams that have escaped you
And the hope that you’ve forgotten
You tell me that you need me now
You want to be my friend

And the song that I am singing
Is a prayer to non believers
Come and stand beside us
We can find a better way

Peace to all.

September 11 tribute posts

This is from 2015, but I have been thinking about this particular post for the past week and there’s no better time to revisit it.

And can we just take a moment to reflect on the fact it’s been SEVENTEEN YEARS??! It seems much more recent.

When we think of this day, we often focus on the loss and the pain. It’s very natural for us to do so because it was a very painful time for our country. So many people lost so very much. But a lot of good has risen from the ashes of that dark day. title=”A Story of Love Overcoming Grief” target=”_blank”>Here’s a story from Bob Dotson:

He no longer put off anything that brought them joy. “If we’re lying on the floor and all of a sudden Victoria says, ‘Daddy, I want to go to the park,’ I’m like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to go to the park.’ That’s what I’m thinking, but I say, ‘Let’s go. We’re going to the park.’ ”

Robert shouted “Hang on, guys!” as the kids squealed with laughter. They were riding in a grocery cart, careening across the lot toward dad’s big SUV. “Why should I deprive my children from going shopping?” Robert said. “I see all the other mothers going shopping with their kids. Why can’t I do it?”

He raced alongside the grocery cart, jumped on its rear axle and pushed with a powerful leg. The children exploded with laughter again. “When my kids smile, the terrorists lose,” Robert said with a grin. “The people who killed Janet wanted to destroy our happy lives. They lost. We won.”

In his book American Story, Dotson also tells of a Newfoundland town that took in stranded passengers from several planes that were forced to land. It’s a beautiful story. The entire book is full of them. To say I recommend this book highly is an understatement. It’s what every American should read. Most particularly today. Go get yourself a copy and let each story remind you why America is so special, why we triumph even when faced with horrifying tragedy like September 11, 2001.

Today, while I remember the lives lost and those impacted by the the actions of hateful people, I will also remember the goodness and strength we found along the road to recovery. Neighbor helping neighbor. Children leading their parents. Strangers holding hands and offering whatever they could to ease another’s burdens. We have triumphed because that’s what America is all about.

Yes, I still remember and I still grieve, but I also see the promise of America through the veil of tears.

Always remember, and always hope.

From September 11, 2014

There is an unease in my heart today. I cannot forget the morning of September 11, 2001. I cannot forget waking up and watching the world fall apart. I cannot forget the confusion on the face of my children. I cannot forget the pain on the faces of those who lost loved ones. I cannot forget the way neighbors came together in sadness and shock to offer comfort to one another, whether or not they knew them. I cannot forget. There is unease in my heart today as I remember how strong we rose from the ashes of tragedy and how easy it has been for some to forget, for them to contort reality into something other than what it was and is. There is unease in my heart today.

Never forget! Never forget the lives lost. Never forget how we turned toward one another instead of away from one another.

Never forget! Never forget that freedom is not easily won, nor is it easily kept. Those who have it must protect and nurture it. Those who don’t have it will always try to rip it away from those who do.

Never forget! We cannot pretend events were anything but what they were. Lives were lost. Hearts were broken. Never forget!

There is an unease in my heart today because I cannot forget. Because I will never forget.

A few posts from the past, with videos and important links:

title=”Remembering 9/11″ target=”_blank”>Remembering 9/11

Never Forget

September 11 – We Never Forget

11 Years Later

Count To 3,000 and Keep Going – September 11 Remembered

Even while we continue to heal, we must never forget.

When we think of this day, we often focus on the loss and the pain. It’s very natural for us to do so because it was a very painful time for our country. So many people lost so very much. But a lot of good has risen from the ashes of that dark day. title=”A Story of Love Overcoming Grief” target=”_blank”>Here’s a story from Bob Dotson:

He no longer put off anything that brought them joy. “If we’re lying on the floor and all of a sudden Victoria says, ‘Daddy, I want to go to the park,’ I’m like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to go to the park.’ That’s what I’m thinking, but I say, ‘Let’s go. We’re going to the park.’ ”

Robert shouted “Hang on, guys!” as the kids squealed with laughter. They were riding in a grocery cart, careening across the lot toward dad’s big SUV. “Why should I deprive my children from going shopping?” Robert said. “I see all the other mothers going shopping with their kids. Why can’t I do it?”

He raced alongside the grocery cart, jumped on its rear axle and pushed with a powerful leg. The children exploded with laughter again. “When my kids smile, the terrorists lose,” Robert said with a grin. “The people who killed Janet wanted to destroy our happy lives. They lost. We won.”

In his book American Story, Dotson also tells of a Newfoundland town that took in stranded passengers from several planes that were forced to land. It’s a beautiful story. The entire book is full of them. To say I recommend this book highly is an understatement. It’s what every American should read. Most particularly today. Go get yourself a copy and let each story remind you why America is so special, why we triumph even when faced with horrifying tragedy like September 11, 2001.

Today, while I remember the lives lost and those impacted by the the actions of hateful people, I will also remember the goodness and strength we found along the road to recovery. Neighbor helping neighbor. Children leading their parents. Strangers holding hands and offering whatever they could to ease another’s burdens. We have triumphed because that’s what America is all about.

Yes, I still remember and I still grieve, but I also see the promise of America through the veil of tears.

Always remember, and always hope.

There is an unease in my heart today. I cannot forget the morning of September 11, 2001. I cannot forget waking up and watching the world fall apart. I cannot forget the confusion on the face of my children. I cannot forget the pain on the faces of those who lost loved ones. I cannot forget the way neighbors came together in sadness and shock to offer comfort to one another, whether or not they knew them. I cannot forget. There is unease in my heart today as I remember how strong we rose from the ashes of tragedy and how easy it has been for some to forget, for them to contort reality into something other than what it was and is. There is unease in my heart today.

Never forget! Never forget the lives lost. Never forget how we turned toward one another instead of away from one another.

Never forget! Never forget that freedom is not easily won, nor is it easily kept. Those who have it must protect and nurture it. Those who don’t have it will always try to rip it away from those who do.

Never forget! We cannot pretend events were anything but what they were. Lives were lost. Hearts were broken. Never forget!

There is an unease in my heart today because I cannot forget. Because I will never forget.

A few posts from the past, with videos and important links:

title=”Remembering 9/11″ target=”_blank”>Remembering 9/11

Never Forget

September 11 – We Never Forget

11 Years Later

Count To 3,000 and Keep Going – September 11 Remembered

Even while we continue to heal, we must never forget.

Do you remember? I do.

Do you still feel the same shock when you think back on what happened nine years ago today? I do.

We can never forget how that felt. We can never forget how we turned to one another for comfort and strength, as neighbors, as a community, as a nation. For all our imperfections, we are still strong and still ONE NATION. Thank God for that.

May we find peace and understanding somewhere along the way.

I’ve not included this song in the last couple of years, but the time seems right to bring it back again. The lyrics have struck me in their prescience. I’ve come to the conclusion that some events are inevitable, or at least some of the imagery is always going to be familiar. It’s a sad way to reconcile such things, but musically and lyrically, it’s the only way to make it fit.

So you speak to me of sadness
And the coming of the winter
Fear that is within you now
It seems to never end
And the dreams that have escaped you
And the hope that you’ve forgotten
You tell me that you need me now
You want to be my friend

And the song that I am singing
Is a prayer to non believers
Come and stand beside us
We can find a better way

And one of my new favorite songs, which was written specifically in remembrance of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, is from Tony “The Fretless Monster” Franklin. The song is ” Be The Same“. The story behind “Never Be The Same” is also available on Tony’s Myspace blog.

Peace to all.

Previous September 11 tribute posts

Does it seem to you like the attacks on America on September 11, 2001 happened 21 years ago? For me, it feels far more recent. Still, here we are 21 years later…

What have we learned since then? What have we forgotten? I can tell you right away what we’ve forgotten: unity. We are lacking unity. As a community; a collection of cities and states; as a country; as people…we’ve forgotten how to come together and hold each other up; how we can accomplish more together; how we’re stronger…together. We’ve forgotten how important our neighbors are and how even strangers can make a difference in our lives — for the better.

Never forget.

It’s not that I feel any less horrified by what happened on 9-11-2001, in fact, the more time goes by the more it hurts my heart. But I find myself at a greater loss for words these days and all I can ask is that we never forget, that we never stop reaching out to one another; that we never forget that simply reaching out to our neighbors — known or unknown — is the first step to bridging the gap between us.

A year after the attacks on the U.S., President Bush the nation:

September 11, 2001 will always be a fixed point in the life of America. The loss
of so many lives left us to examine our own. Each of us was reminded that we
are here only for a time, and these counted days should be filled with things
that last and matter: love for our families, love for our neighbors, and for our
country; gratitude for life and to the Giver of life.

We resolved a year ago to honor every last person lost. We owe them
remembrance and we owe them more. We owe them, and their children, and
our own, the most enduring monument we can build: a world of liberty and
security made possible by the way America leads, and by the way Americans
lead our lives.

If you wish to honor those who were lost or those who continue to protect our freedoms, here are just a few ideas:

National September 11 Memorial

Soldiers’ Angels

Wounded Warrior Project

I also want to include the words spoken to the nation that day by President Bush. I include them because they still speak to me as strongly as they did that day:

STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH IN
HIS ADDRESS TO THE NATION
September 11, 2001
8:30 P.M.

Good evening. Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our
very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist
acts. The victims were in airplanes, or in their offices; secretaries, businessmen
and women, military and federal workers; moms and dads, friends and
neighbors. Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of
terror.

The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures
collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet,
unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our
nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed; our country is strong.

A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks
can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the
foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the
steel of American resolve.

America was targeted for attack because we’re the brightest beacon for
freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from
shining.

Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature. And we
responded with the best of America—with the daring of our rescue workers,
with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help
in any way they could.

Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our government’s
emergency response plans. Our military is powerful, and it’s prepared. Our
emergency teams are working in New York City and Washington, D.C. to help
with local rescue efforts.

Our first priority is to get help to those who have been injured, and to take
every precaution to protect our citizens at home and around the world from
further attacks.

The functions of our government continue without interruption. Federal
agencies in Washington which had to be evacuated today are reopening for
essential personnel tonight, and will be open for business tomorrow. Our
financial institutions remain strong, and the American economy will be open
for business, as well.

The search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts. I’ve directed
the full resources of our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find
those responsible and to bring them to justice. We will make no distinction
between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.

I appreciate so very much the members of Congress who have joined me in
strongly condemning these attacks. And on behalf of the American people, I
thank the many world leaders who have called to offer their condolences and
assistance.

America and our friends and allies join with all those who want peace and
security in the world, and we stand together to win the war against terrorism.
Tonight, I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose
worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has
been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than
any of us, spoken through the ages in Psalm 23: “Even though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me.”

This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for
justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so
this time. None of us will ever forget this day. Yet, we go forward to defend
freedom and all that is good and just in our world.

Thank you. Good night, and God bless America.
Source: White House Archive

…and we’ve not forgotten. But we have been healing slowly. Still, we remember and it rends our hearts anew if we think too long or too hard. That’s not a bad thing. It means we’re human. And it means we remain vigilant.

For the first time since I started blogging and posting on September 11, I will not post the songs or videos normally do (not sure where the rest of my archives are). I think it’s time to start looking at this day a little differently. Yes, I still mourn for the lives lost. I still rage against those who would commit such an atrocity. I…just…I want to continue to heal and sing a new song. I think we deserve that, don’t you?

Please take a moment to remember those who died, the lives that were changed forever, and think, too, about what you did this day 11 years ago. If, like many of us, you saw your neighbors in a new light and reached out to strangers or even took a moment to smile at someone to let them know “we’re all in this together”, or even if you did none of those things, try it today. Be a good neighbor. Be kind to someone just for the sake of being kind and creating a little bigger personal community.

What we have in common is far more important than what makes us different.

It is my hope that in the months and years ahead life will return almost to normal. We’ll go back to our lives and routines and that is good.

Even grief recedes with time and grace.

But our resolve must not pass. Each of us will remember what happened that day and to whom it happened. We will remember the moment the news came, where we were and what we were doing.

Some will remember an image of a fire or story or rescue. Some will carry memories of a face and a voice gone forever. ~ George W. Bush

Let’s get on to the “almost normal” while remembering what we’ve lost, as well as what we’ve gained in the years since. We owe it to those who died and to ourselves. We continue on — in their honor.

Twenty years is a long time. It’s a long time for something that seems like something happened just yesterday.

September 11

Kamagra UK

, 2001.

We’ll never forget. Nor should we. Sure, the edges have dulled

, but the fire rages on in memory.

20 years
240 months
1,044 weeks
7,305 days
175,317 hours
10,519,020 minutes
631,141,200 seconds

Never forget 2,996 souls dead.

We can never forget. We can never let down our guard or pretend it didn’t happen. It did. 2,996 people died eight years ago. Innocents lost to acts of cowardice and terrorism. Men, women, and children gone in the blink of an eye.

Many of our children were babies or barely more than that when our nation was attacked. Some weren’t even yet conceived. For them, they’ve only known a post-9/11 world. And what do we tell them? Do we focus on politics? Do we just pretend it was only a dream? No and hell, no! To reduce this to politics or to pretend we were not attacked is a grave disservice to those who died on September 11, 2001.

I remember all too well the words spoken by the President just days later:

It is my hope that in the months and years ahead life will return almost to normal. We’ll go back to our lives and routines and that is good.

Even grief recedes with time and grace.

But our resolve must not pass. Each of us will remember what happened that day and to whom it happened. We will remember the moment the news came, where we were and what we were doing.

Some will remember an image of a fire or story or rescue. Some will carry memories of a face and a voice gone forever.

Time has given us the opportunity to heal and to move on with our lives. But it is our duty to never really forget the stark terror that filled our hearts as we watched buildings burn, planes crash, and smoke billow into the heavens. Our lives know peace, but what of the families of those who were killed? They still carry the scars from that day; there will always be a void where a loved one once stood. We must remember with them.

“Since September 11, 2001, an entire generation of young Americans has gained new understanding of the value of freedom and its cost, and duty and its sacrifice.” Do not give up that knowledge, do not give up the ideals of freedom, do not forget. Take a moment to sit with your children and reflect upon the memory of this day and what it meant to you. Remember the feeling of disbelief, the heartache. And remember, too, how you suddenly found comfort in the company of family, neighbors, and even strangers. It is in those moments that we reclaimed America and the American spirit. Do not forget.

“We will not waver, we will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail. Peace and freedom will prevail.”

And we will not forget. We may take momentary flights of freedom, but only because we fight for freedom on a daily basis. We do not forget.

Flight

And a reminder of last year’s post: “Today“