As we near the 3rd anniversary of a horrible day, many of us have probably "moved on." By saying that, I don't mean that we've forgotten it, or put it out of our minds/hearts, but rather that we no longer have the soul-numbing reaction that we had initially, or the horrible sadness that may have accompanied the first anniversary.
It's been 3 years, and unless we were directly and personally affected by the loss of a loved one on that day, our lives have to a large extent returned to some semblance of normalcy, at least so far as the ordinary day-to-day stuff goes.
Because of that, it's easy to let the date go by without even realizing what day it is, and that's ok. Some would even say that it's a healthy response, and a natural part of the grieving process.
Be that as it may, I hope all of us take a moment tomorrow to remember the lives that were lost when America was attacked - not just American lives, either. There were many nationalities represented in the twin towers (I've forgotten exactly how many countries lost people that day, but it was a lot).
Spend a moment of silence to remember those folks and their families - the firefighters, the policemen, the innocent civilians who were just going about their daily lives. The valiant passengers on flight 93. The children who will never know their mom or their dad. The survivors who face the scars every time they look in a mirror, who wake up from nightmares on a regular basis, and have to deal with the agony of wondering why they were spared when their best buddy didn't make it.
Say a prayer for them, for their peace and healing. Then look around you at what you have, and say a prayer of gratitude that your loved ones are still with you. Give them a hug, and if they ask you why you're being so sentimental, just say "because I love you, and I"m glad you're in my life."
Do something on Sept 11 to celebrate life. Go to the beach, have a barbecue, play with your kids (or grandkids, or nieces/nephews, or the neighbor kids). Give blood, or donate money/items to the hurricane relief funds or to the international red cross to be used to help other survivors of terrorism, like the families in Beslan.
Don't let the day slide away, unnoticed and unremarked. Let it be a reminder to you that life is precious, and we never know how much time we have on this earth. Make it a day to celebrate the power of Love in the world. Let 9/11 be a day when you make a difference in someone's life, when you do something for someone else, no matter how small it may be.
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