6. Day 11: The [unintended] Gift of Terrorism

The gift of terrorism is that the horror must be faced.  In its immediate aftermath there is a tear in the fabric of society and its dogmas, rules and perspective that is rent clean open.  Through that rent a great gust of honesty bellows through and we all come face to face with what IS whether we like it or not.  When the attacks on September 11, 2001 occurred a great honesty was unleashed across the globe.  Those who committed the attacks were angry, hurt and desperate–now we all knew this for certain, even if we knew not what to do about it.

Through that wretched honesty came our own naked honesty in which our first thoughts were only of love and those we loved:  “Are my loved ones safe?  Where are they?  I want to talk to them, see them, hug them!!!”.  We banded together as one to support one another, grieve what was lost,  treasure and celebrate what remained and try to make some sense out of it all.  Even now, when I think back to that day and the surreal days after tears come to my eyes.  I live in California and in 2001 had only ever seen New York City through the window at the airport in New Jersey when changing planes. ( I have since visited and fallen in love with that city.)  One of my dear friends was in the building across the street from the twin towers of the World Trade Center (survived to create a beautiful line of t-shirts that proclaim Love.); another friend was in the air on his way to San Fransisco diverted again and again as the news got out of the first plane; one friend was stranded at a funeral in Oklahoma and couldn’t get home while a cousin’s wife was in NYC on business (he drove from Indiana to find her and bring her home when all phone jams led to zero confirmation of her being alive though she was); the father of one of our daughter’s classmates was killed in the plane that was highjacked and diverted into being a suicide mission into the first Tower; many friends in Texas, Indiana and California went to pick up their kids from school immediately upon hearing the first shocking news and everyone I know called or sought out a friend or family member no matter where they lived to see if everyone was ok. We had phone calls, texts, emails etc from all over the world to check on us (in CA) and to offer condolences and love. Everyone I know has stories just like this.

Lest We Forget

The thing is, even though what happened was terrible, dreadful, shocking and unreal the epic silence of this terrible honest moment tore away all the blocks we had created whether by story or fear to the awareness of Love’s Eternal Presence.  I have to say that I felt, literally coursing through me, the power of the greater Love that we all share in the days that followed that September 11.  I also felt fear, confusion, strain, horror and disbelief.  What rushed in (as I saw thousands, nay millions, from around our country and, indeed, the world) was Love in a rainbow of qualities and colors:   comfort, willingness, presence, help, gentleness, guidance, understanding, tenderness, hope, strength, power, courage, truth, beauty and what sung above it all was ONENESS.

Of course very quickly we began to judge all that happened and recreate stories upon stories of what and why and who was responsible and our awareness of Love’s Presence again faded.  Could we stop and imagine, just for a moment, that if something as terrible and unprecedented as the attacks on September 11 could unleash a torrent of love, what could be unleashed in our own lives with what we are facing this very day?  One thing I am noticing in my extending love to fear AS tiredness is that one of the things that makes me tired is the dishonesty of not telling my own truth, especially to myself.

Let today be marked my remembrances, love and honesty.  Where can you extend the quality of love, honesty, before it must be blasted into your awareness?  Honesty is what keeps us awake.  It is what helps us remember, honor and be who we are as individuals and as nations.  We will remember them.  Lest we forget.