Take a moment of silence...

Today seems like a good day to reflect and remember. It is also a good day to look forward to the future, as well as acknowledge the present. This day will forever be embedded in my memory and will forever fill me with a sense of pride for my country and for my countrymen. I realize that we are in a state of great unrest right now. We are battling a pandemic, dealing with challenges in our communities around racism and police brutality, we have wildfires devouring our forests and politicians devouring our media. Wearing a mask or not has suddenly become a political statement. Our children are battling each other on social media around their "political views" and I say that with air quotes because let's face it, most of our children end up just mirroring our own political inclinations. We have become communities of tattle tailors, calling in our neighbor for not wearing a mask or for having a gathering. We have become individual experts in areas of science, civics and history- areas that many of us have not researched or reviewed since our high school days if even then. The media is filled with hashtags to #standtogether #alonetogether #wewillovercome... the list goes on. But how many of us are actually listening to each other? How many of us are taking the time to try to understand another viewpoint? From where I see it, not as many as should. 

This day brings us all together again. It reminds us of a time when none of our differences mattered, when we literally pulled each other from the rubble. Of course I say we collectively, I wasn't in New York that day and neither were my friends or family, but I felt that pain across the country and I shared that sorrow after. New York is the quintessential american city. It is the city we all romanticize about in one capacity or another. Movies are made about it, people travel there to pursue their dreams. Heck, I am not a fan of cities and even I have been there. That attack, which honestly feels like not that long ago, hit us all in our hearts and if there is one silver lining from the suffering that was endured not only that day but in the weeks, months and years following, is that it is a day we all share. It is not a holiday for one religion or a historical event that only favors half the population. This is an event that we can all remember and take a moment of silence for. This event binds us all and reminds us that despite our differences we are one nation and I hope that we can all strive to remember that.