What a difference 20 years makes
On the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the world is completely different
Today is a somber day for most Americans. In the midst of this, I couldn’t help but remember how Americans all united with one another on that day. No one was a stranger. Everyone shared in the shock, the sadness and the outrage. We all flew flags, showed our love of country and for those who were able to, ran to help. I remember being in a club in New York about two weeks later. There was music playing, but it was rather empty. No one was in a festive mood. All of a sudden, two NYC Firefighters walked in. I assumed they were on duty because they were in their uniforms. In what was probably one of the greatest moments I have ever experienced, everyone stopped their conversations and walked up to them, shook their hands, thanked them and bought them a drink. In that moment, I turned to the person I was with and said, “If only it could be like this all of the time”.
What I was referring to was the manner in which the firefighters were treated. It would have been the same if it were the police. They were appreciated. People felt incredible sorrow for the loss of their fellow firefighters. And what made it even more human was that they were able to have a drink in uniform. For just a few weeks, this is how the country behaved.
Let’s fast forward to today. The country is the most divided it has ever been. People actually are filled with anger and hate. People are divided by everything. Politics, Race, the virus, to vaccinate or not, to mask or not…you name it, and people are fighting over it. Today, those firefighters would have lost their jobs if they drank in uniform. And if they were not vaccinated, they wouldn’t even be allowed in that club. And even if you are like me, and are an observer of the world and NOT a participant, it is still heartbreaking to see all of the fighting. It’s the reason I stopped going on social media. Seeing people I knew argue like ten year olds was too much for me. I realized that no argument was to learn from someone else’s point of view, nor to respect it. It was to only be right. No minds are changed, ever. Just insults and snarky comments.
I often wondered what caused this? How did we go from the spirit of unity after 9/11 to where we are now? Well, I have my own thoughts on that one. And frankly, I think it is something very sinister. I learned over the years to never give my energy to anything involving fear, hate or discord. It has served me well. How do I do this, you ask? Well, I’ll give you a little hint. It involves NEVER watching a box with images on it. I have observed that each and every thing dividing people has come from none other than the media and their counterparts, the government. Every image you see on the news effects you whether you realize it or not. We become what we focus upon, and sadly, the media focuses ONLY on the bad. It’s almost as if they are intentionally dividing us to increase their control. Almost. But I am probably wrong, because they would never do this. They would never engage in “Divide and Conquer”.
I wasn’t going to post today in honor of those who lost their lives. But the contrast should be apparent to all of us who were old enough to remember that day and its aftermath. Perhaps this is a teachable moment. We should do ourselves a favor and turn off the TV, go outside and meet with and talk to neighbors. Spend time with friends. Find hobbies that do not involve anything media related. And for the Love of God, stay off of social media, or, at best, stay out of the arguments!
May the Souls of those who lost their lives live on in our hearts.