9/11

I do not know how many of you watched the ceremonies this morning at Ground Zero, but one of the most moving parts to me was hearing this version of "The Sound of Silence" by Paul Simon. The moments of silence at the exact time the planes hit each one of the towers, the Pentagon, and the plane that went down in Pennsylvania, then the ringing of the bell, moved me to tears. 

Other moving musical tributes were performed by Yo-Yo Ma, James Taylor, and a beautiful rendition of "Amazing Grace" by a flautist whose name I did not get. 

Among the speakers, Governor Christie of New Jersey read a short poem by Mary Lee Hall, urging people  to Turn Again to Life

"If I should die and leave you here awhile

Be not like others sore undone

Who keeps long vigil by the silent dust.

For my sake turn again to life and smile

Nerving the heart and trembling hand

To do something to comfort other hearts than thine.

Complete these dear unfinished tasks of mine

And I perchance may therein comfort you."

So many families of survivors were inspirational in telling their stories of how they have done just that -- turned again to life. And honored loved ones lost too soon.

Former NY Governor George Pataki read the last verse of the poem, "The Names", written by Billy Collins, United States Poet Laureate, in 2002 as a tribute to the fallen that fateful day of September 11, 2001:

"..Names written in the pale sky.

Names rising in the updraft amid buildings.

Names silent in stone

Or cried out behind a door.

Names blown over the earth and out to sea.

In the evening -- weakening light, the last swallows.

A boy on a lake lifts his oars.

A woman by a window puts a match to a candle,

And the names are outlined on the rose clouds --

Vanacore and Wallace,

(let X stand, if it can, for the ones unfound)

Then Young and Ziminsky, the final jolt of Z.

Names etched on the head of a pin.

One name spanning a bridge, another undergoing a tunnel.

A blue name needled into the skin.

Names of citizens, workers, mothers and fathers,

The bright-eyed daughter, the quick son.

Alphabet of names in a green field.

Names in the small tracks of birds.

Names lifted from a hat

Or balanced on the tip of the tongue.

Names wheeled into the dim warehouse of memory.

So many names, there is barely room on the walls of the heart."

As President Obama read from the Book of Psalms, there was no doubt in my mind that, although no prayers were to be said at these ceremonies, many were offering up their private prayers to God.. and God was there.

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No, we will never forget the dark day of 9/11/01. So many American lives were lost needlessly. We will always honor and revere their memory. However, there is nothing more we can do about those losses. Nearly 3,000 gone forever from this earth. And as we turn again to life, may we "do something to comfort other hearts". Nearly 100,000 lives are lost daily to the famine in Somalia. Surely there is something we can do about that. We have thousands of victims of the wildfires right here in Texas right now needing our help and comfort. We can do something about that.

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And as a reminder that there is always good happening somewhere on any given day, I thought I would include the following little chart of "good stuff happening" on this day in history:

Good News on this day in History, September 11

By Good News Network Sunday, September 11, 2011

• First World Parliament of Religions conference held, marking the first formal gathering of representatives of Eastern and Western spiritual traditions (1893)
• Mahatma Gandhi coined the term "Satyagraha" (Truth-Force) to characterize Non-Violent movements (1906)
• The Boston Red Sox won the World Series; wouldn't repeat for 86 years (1918)
• The World Wildlife Fund was formed (1961)
• The Beatles recorded their first single, "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You," at EMI studios in London (1962)
• U.S. President Jimmy Carter, President Sadat of Egypt, and Prime Minister Begin of Israel agreed at Camp David on a framework for peace in the Middle East (1978)
• Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds recorded his 4,192nd hit, breaking Ty Cobb's career record (1985)
• Scots voted to create their own Parliament after 290 year union with England (1997)

And on this day in 2005, Israel pulled out of the Gaza Strip after 38 years. Israeli soldiers lowered the flag at a ceremony marking the end of military rule there. It had already removed its settlers from Gaza, bulldozed their homes and demolished its military bases.

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As the lovely poem says "turn again to life and smile"... There are unfinished tasks to complete.

In reverence, peace, and love,

Marilyn