Remembering 9/11

Today I'm thinking a lot about 9/11 and the days that followed... mostly the images, the grief, how much loss and suffering that was experienced all over the world. The President has declared today the first annual National Day of Service and Remembrance in honor of 9/11. Check out the details at http://911dayofservice.org/ and even share your plan of service and commitment to your community.

Also, I encourage you to check out the many articles, photographs, and essays from those who experienced the tragedy or lost someone in it. This one I found to be particularly moving from the NY Times - http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/showcase-49/?hp. In the reader comments to that article, I found this piece - http://www.burnmagazine.org/ - which I also thought was highly significant, both the photographs and the comments on the site.

People have a wide variety of reactions to this tragedy, and I think these reactions signify the different ways we experience grief as human beings. Finding meaning is sometimes a way to move forward, not forgetting, but deepening remembrance and significance of the lives of those we lose. Things don't always happen for a reason, and we can still look for ways to learn from tragedy when we are ready.