September 11th - Seeing the Good in Humanity
I was 8 years old on September 11, 2001 and my husband, just a day shy of turning 8 years old. He was living outside of Dallas, TX, and I was in Orange County, CA. I asked him what he remembers, if anything, about that day.
He told me that he was in first grade, and when the news broke, the administrators rolled in large TVs on tall stands. The teachers watched and cried, as the school went on lock down. Parents came to pick up their kids, and he remembers watching the news with his mom and dad for the rest of the day.
In California, news broke before I had ever made it to school. I came downstairs to find my mom and dad watching the news, as they did every single morning. Before I made it around the corner, my mom said, “Look what’s happening.” I glanced at the TV, which seemed like just another news story, just another fire, and sat down at the kitchen table. I finished my breakfast and got up to get ready for school. “We’re at war” I overheard my dad say to my mom after I walked out of the room. She immediately started to cry. That’s when I realized that what happened on this day was not, in fact, just another news story.
There is no doubt that September 11th will go down as the most tragic, despairing, and surreal day in American history. But what makes me sad is that all the acts of kindness, the compassion, the good in humanity is overshadowed by the sick, evil, unspeakable acts of that day.
One of these displays of compassion is 9/11 Day, which was founded by best friends, David Paine and Jay Winuk. Jay’s brother, Glenn, an attorney and volunteer firefighter and EMT, lost his life on September 11th when he ran into the burning World Trade Center to help others.
Together Jay and David founded a nonprofit and passed bipartisan legislation to designate September 11th as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. Here is what David says, “Ultimately we wanted something positive to come from the loss of so many innocent people in such a terrible way. Here in the United States, we didn't want the terrorists to forever define how 9/11 would be remembered for generations to come. Instead we wanted our children to learn about how the nation responded in the immediate aftermath of the attacks; the remarkable spirit of unity and compassion that was briefly shared by so many."
Jay adds, "As a 9/11 family member, I wanted to find a very special and significant way to honor my late brother, along with the many others who died with him on 9/11. It is extraordinary to see how much 9/11 Day has grown over the years, and how it continues to bring out the very best in people on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks."
This September 11th, let us remember those who showed us the best in humanity. Whether it be offering a hand to hold, carrying someone to safety, sharing a water bottle, comforting a stranger - let us honor these amazing people by reflecting their acts of compassion in our lives. Today, show a stranger some kindness, be a light in your community, say a prayer, hold your loved ones close.
May we never, ever forget September 11, 2001 and may God Bless America.
...mg
To read more about David and Jay and the work they are doing, click here.