Obligatory 9/11 Musings

                                               Candle lit. Photo by The Pensacola Hippie

We all know where we were and what we were doing 19 years ago this morning.  How can we forget?  Today I want to not only remember those who lost their lives in these attacks, but to also honor those who were on that plane, near or inside the Twin Towers and were at The Pentagon this fateful day. 

I remember feeling anger and fear.  I was in college at The University of West Florida and late to an 8 A.M. class. Although I did not see the " live" footage of the attacks, the replays still haunt me now.  I remember waiting in line to use the public telephone { this was before everyone carried a cell phone in their pocket} to call my dad. I remember silently riding back with him after he picked me up from college--- I needed to take a long weekend away from campus. 

Yet in the horror of the aftermath of the attacks, I saw a unity among Americans of all stripes-- that of which I had not seen since. For one part of history-- Americans were AMERICANS. We were not liberal versus conservative, people of color versus white people, rich versus poor. We were UNITED as a nation. 

Guess what? No matter the messages that the TV and talk radio forces upon us, we are still Americans. 

On this day, in the middle of a worldwide pandemic and during what is the ugliest political season in my 44 years of life on Earth, I continue to pray about unity. Additionally, I put my words into actions and work towards peace and unity for all. 

I love this nation. She is not perfect, but I do believe that we can overcome the divisions that plague us s much as does the threat of COVID. Perhaps COVID is " the great equalizer"-- the virus cares not what color skin, what age or gender, nor one's political leanings.  If there is any " silver lining" in Pandemic Life and on the anniversary of the worst domestic attack on US soil it is this : We are all human. 

Perhaps the best way that we as a people can remember those who perished today and honor those many who were physically there when those planes went down is to untangle ourselves from the debacle of Year 2020 and work together to make life more just for all Americans. 

Amen.

Sarah McCarren

Patriot Day 2020