A couple days ago, a student asked what I was doing for the tenth anniversary of 9/11. I had a hard time fathoming the question. What was I doing? I mean, community service? A barbecue? Holding a flag on the front lawn? What would you do? And at the same time, there was a bit of cynicism. Yes, it's an anniversary, but it's also like a normal day. It's like Veterans' Day; sure, I think about it, but I don't go to any kind of service or anything. I also thought maybe some of the pain had faded.
I was wrong. Zadie pointed out an American flag at the farmers' market today, and I started to say, "Yes, it's kind of a special day today. I'll have to tell you about it later." My breath caught and I almost cried right then. How could I tell her? What could I say? We've barely gotten onto the subject of potential bad strangers without my wanting to protect her from badness and evil forever. How could I explain why some people would hate our country, want to kill us? How could I explain that they believe it's about God, but it's really not, and that most people are still basically good?
It came up later in the car. I ended up with something like this.
"You know New York? Where Grandma and Boompah went? Well, it's in America, so the people there are our countrymen... like our brothers. And one day some bad people went on airplanes, and they wouldn't let the pilot fly where they were supposed to go. Instead they flew them into some buildings in New York. And you know the thing about buildings; they're usually full of people. So when planes crashed into the buildings, the buildings fell down, and the people that were in them didn't have time to get out, so a lot of them died. And that was ten years ago today, so people are remembering it today."
I think she didn't recognize the catch in my voice, so she asked, "And are you happy?"
"Well, no. It's a sad day. But afterwards we all learned we're on the same team, so that's the happy part."
Then she asked about the passing freight train, so I was off the hook.
What am I doing for 9/11? Not much. Going to the gym. Baking cookies. But I am also re-commiting myself to the idea that we're all on the same team. Not just Americans, but people everywhere. Let's be on the same team again.
2 comments:
I am a new follower and wanted to say Hello.
I think all of us struggle as Americans each year 9/11 passes. Do we sit and watch all of the horrific coverage again, taking time to really memorialize the day, or do we treat it as any other "holiday" (veterans day, as you said) and hope that the pain we feel as a country will begin to heal a little more? I work for the American Legion, and it was def a day of remembrance, and PRIDE more than anything there. A day for our servicemen (past and present) to bond over the fact that they helped protect this country, one that no one has been able to take over and destroy. Yes, it was also sad for the lives lost, but we as American's are united, more than ever.
I didn't mean to write a novel by any means, but I had been thinking about this day much the same way you had and I probably will next year also, but it hit me last night at work what it meant to so many others.
Hope you have a great week!
Thanks for commenting, Amber. It's good to hear from others on this.
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