9/11 Fifteen Years Later

Photo Credit  Marian Floyd 2016 St. Augustin, FL

The graves of soldiers are a reminder of terror and trauma of our country, families, children and all mankind. When terrorism happens, war, violence in the streets or at home, it affects more than just the few immediate people present at the time of the act.  The ripples of terror and trauma move throughout lives and years.  Our culture is made of beliefs and people ground into their traditions and their way of thinking.  Humans judge each other and often have unrealistic expectations.  I can't judge other's.  If I am honest I realize that I don't want to judge others, but it seems that we are pre-programed for judgment of others.  It is a constant struggle to accept people as they are and if I can't be comfortable around someone then it is my responsibility to adjust not my duty to change them.  I can accept or walk away.  It is as I used to teach my students, we have the choice of how we respond to how people act.

9/11/2016 was the 15 year anniversary of the worst act of terrorism of my lifetime, not the only terrible act of violence, but the one where the most people died.   If you truly think about why the terror of 911 happened in the first place, we have to question ideology. With that in mind, I remember reading somewhere that ideologies are idiotic. It doesn't matter if they are religious or political, because they are all based on conceptual thinking. It is thus, the conceptual word, which has so unfortunately divided us and created the hate and bigotry.  Don't forget 9/11, honor those first responders and all those who lost their lives but don't pass by a cemetery without realizing that every person's death affects someone deeply.  May peace go with you and yours.