 September 11, 2011 was one of the most beautiful days of my life. I hold it up with other great moments, like graduations, birthdays and weddings. Why? Because I got to see the true nature of humanity.I remember my shock and awe when I flipped on the TV after my sister called and told me to watch the news. I sat in hypnotic stupor until I was called into my job as a newspaper photographer hours early. My task for the day: photograph the local blood bank. Already emotionally charged, I was amazed by what I saw when I arrived--a warm lineup of people stretching out the door. There were all sorts of ordinary folks there: old, young, all races, the poor and the rich. I was amazed to see even tattooed young men with shaved heads who looked more like delinquents than do-gooders, their faces somber, but their eyes bright. They all had the same story, "I saw what happened. I wanted to help. I thought this was something I could do." The room and the world reverberated with the same sentiment. The Red Cross received record donations. Groups met to pray for their fellow citizens. People took time out of their busy schedules to donate money, clothes, food, time, anything, anything they could. My parents were traveling in England at the time, and they were overwhelmed by the sentiments of solidarity from the Brits. "I'm so sorry for your loss." In Tony Blair's words, they stood "shoulder to shoulder" with us. And so it went. Strangers reaching out to strangers, countries reaching out to countries. It's as if love was infecting our world. It was the most beautiful spectacle I had ever seen! In the following weeks, the politicians kept preaching the same things: go out and continue with life as normal. The terrorists win if we change. In my heart I raged against these statements. I hoped we would never change, never go back to what we were before 9/11 because what we had become in just one day was so much better! Now, ten years later, I see our world very much the same as it was before 9/11, and most of us Americans are living in the same rugged individualism we are known for. At this point, it seems the terrorists did win because we didn't change. I think the best way of honoring those who died on September 11 is to spread kindness and lend a helping hand to those in need every day. I long for the day when we no longer need disasters and tragedies to treat our fellow man with love and compassion on a daily basis. May we all find that peace, so the terrorists can lay down their arms down in defeat and join us in brotherly love. |
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