In the past 25 years:
A Day of Memorial like 9/11 is not just about NYC, the images revisited, or a trip to the sites in PA, NY, or the Pentagon. This is a time to reflect on who we are today.
Like most Americans who lived through it, I remember where I was and what I was doing. I was the homeschool dad that Tuesday morning. We’d gotten breakfast behind us, and had spelling (or maybe poetry) before us. We lived in Peachtree City, GA and our school room was downstairs.
I remember the television was on and, when the first plane hit, I froze. The images were so vivid and stark and unbelievable. But, this was real. I felt like we, in GA, were vulnerable.
I called our two daughters and son from their morning routines – nothing I saw on the screen hinted at routine – to watch this. “You’ve got to watch this,” I said. “This will change your world.” And they did. And it did.
Since then, we have moved several times, they’ve all graduated from high school, one from university, another from paramedic school, one a worship pastor, one a graphic artist, and one a paramedic/firefighter. Relationships, a marriage, a grandson, all since. We’ve seen memorable Super Bowls, World Cups, Olympics, and World Series (Cubs in 2016 by one in the seventh game, extra innings).
We’ve also survived financial downturns (we were serving in a ministry in Italy for the hardest one). We’ve seen our enemies attack our friends in battles; and we’ve joined allies to defeat the enemy. A lot has happened. We’ve watched cities burn, a world face off with a virus, campuses shut down to riots, and people who shouldn’t have die, leave us.
The day after 9/11 was the beginning of an undeniable unity in the USA. It was palpable, like a physical or emotional fusing of lives, diverse but one. Differences didn’t matter in light of a nation together. We chose as a people of all races and persuasions to lift up the freedoms we cherished. I couldn’t imagine it ending. but it did.
Close to 3000 people were killed in the four plane attacks on 9/11, and many more have died since of various illnesses linked to these attacks. Since then, more than 300 have died in terrorist attacks on American soil: the Boston Marathon, the Fort Hood shooting, the Islamist attack at the Pulse club in Orlando, and more.
The Global Terrorism Database indicates that, just in the decade since 9/11, the lowest number of attempts and attacks in the USA in one year is six; the most is 73. The numbers have risen since 9/11.
My take-away after reflections on this anniversary of 9/11 are on asking, “Where we are now?” I believe our nation is now (or soon will be) at the place where a political solution won’t repair the divide we’ve seen developing in 25 years. It takes people on one side of the chasm to want to heal that wound, that divide; but if the other side doesn’t, it probably can’t happen. That is, if we are trusting in a political solution.
Perhaps the progressive option is best. What if we looked at where we are now and we find the best was to progress forward. That, I believe, is to reconnect our lives to a strong faith in God, refresh our commitment to a compassionate lifestyle toward others, and to reset our values on what is right and good and not just what makes us feel we are right or makes us look good in others’ eyes.
An Old Testament promise, a plea from God to a nation, really is appropriate to close this memorial post with. After the King dedicated the new temple and celebrated in worship, God spoke.
He promised us that, when things fall a part, and we’ve forgotten the Father’s way, and our world is desperate, “then, if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”
That’s the only real solution.