Hi, all. I realize I made no mention of 9/11 in this morning’s post. Sorry about that. I meant to start with the positive news and then close with the anniversary, but in my zeal to get the newsletter out early I forgot. This is probably at least partially because I find it hard to talk about September 11th. I was in Brooklyn that day; I lived there at the time. I’m not going to go into detail about what it was like—enough has been said by others with more skill at speaking of such things. But suffice it to say it was dreadful, heartbreaking, and extremely frightening.
I live in Central NJ, in an area where many people commuted to NYC daily, and know people who lost family members and friends. At the time, I was buoyed by Ray Charles's amazing rendition of "America the Beautiful." https://youtu.be/TRUjr8EVgBg?si=7WSIuxKbqRvIMKug
Jess, I was born in Brooklyn and left when I was five when my family moved to Connecticut. But I returned after two years of college and moved to Queens in 1962, where I got my B.A. and lived until 1995, when I came to metro Atlanta. I've never been back to New York and could not possibly live there anymore, having grown used to my own home in a relatively quiet neighborhood, but when I was at the doctor's office the morning of 9/11, when they used to have TV news on in the waiting rooms (which, thankfully, they no longer do), I learned at 9:03 a.m. about the second plane hitting the south tower, and, like all of us, especially New Yorkers, my heart felt stabbed. Today is a sad day, remembering not just the destruction, not just the thousands of lives lost, but the instantaneous unity we felt as a nation under attack. Would that we could regain that sense of togetherness, that concern for one another.
When hate and anger are repressed because they are "bad" to have, they will find a way to leak out - unconsciously. Both hate and anger "happen" to us....and it is up to us to get to the root of both - consciously, because we learn that both limit life, constrict and rigidify our short life on this magnificence of earth. And in the acting out of either bring un-constructive destruction, more hurt, more pain, more destruction. Both - through the process of uncovering the wounds that sit below the emotion - become transformed. Just as a fire transforms the wax of the candle. All the current vogue of damning anger and hatred - you're bad if you have it - is no solution to the dilemma. Is there a human on this earth who doesn't experience hatred and anger? Even one epitome of love, Jesus, "threw" the money changers out of the temple. Characteristic of our leadership class and its behaviors is an unwillingness to claim ownership for their decisions that have literally killed millions. They continue making the same kinds of decisions. How come? the denial? the tight lips? the looking away? Could it be that part of the ethos of the USA is forever innocence? never say you have done terrible terrible things to people? never admit them? keep the lid on and imprison the truth tellers like Assange, Reality Winner, Daniel Hale, Donziger? continue to seek revenge against Cuba 70 years later with life-destructive sanctions? What we don't face - individually and as a nation - will come back to haunt us. When we do face the "bad" in us, it allows it to change.
Your graphic is right on. As we know, the only cure for hate is love.
That’s right.
I live in Central NJ, in an area where many people commuted to NYC daily, and know people who lost family members and friends. At the time, I was buoyed by Ray Charles's amazing rendition of "America the Beautiful." https://youtu.be/TRUjr8EVgBg?si=7WSIuxKbqRvIMKug
I've since found solace in a 9/11 memorial video with Disturbed's incredibly powerful rendition of "Sound of Silence." https://youtu.be/LyJRdJd5SGo?si=veGE-SWErqdg-Igi
I’ll check them out thank you.
Wrenching.
What a touching memmorial video...thank you for sharing.
Jess, I was born in Brooklyn and left when I was five when my family moved to Connecticut. But I returned after two years of college and moved to Queens in 1962, where I got my B.A. and lived until 1995, when I came to metro Atlanta. I've never been back to New York and could not possibly live there anymore, having grown used to my own home in a relatively quiet neighborhood, but when I was at the doctor's office the morning of 9/11, when they used to have TV news on in the waiting rooms (which, thankfully, they no longer do), I learned at 9:03 a.m. about the second plane hitting the south tower, and, like all of us, especially New Yorkers, my heart felt stabbed. Today is a sad day, remembering not just the destruction, not just the thousands of lives lost, but the instantaneous unity we felt as a nation under attack. Would that we could regain that sense of togetherness, that concern for one another.
Well said, and eloquently. Thank you 🙏
This is appreciation for the tenderness these dates touch for those of you who directly experienced the trauma of 9/11.
You’re not under any obligation to discuss a particular topic. This is your newsletter.
When hate and anger are repressed because they are "bad" to have, they will find a way to leak out - unconsciously. Both hate and anger "happen" to us....and it is up to us to get to the root of both - consciously, because we learn that both limit life, constrict and rigidify our short life on this magnificence of earth. And in the acting out of either bring un-constructive destruction, more hurt, more pain, more destruction. Both - through the process of uncovering the wounds that sit below the emotion - become transformed. Just as a fire transforms the wax of the candle. All the current vogue of damning anger and hatred - you're bad if you have it - is no solution to the dilemma. Is there a human on this earth who doesn't experience hatred and anger? Even one epitome of love, Jesus, "threw" the money changers out of the temple. Characteristic of our leadership class and its behaviors is an unwillingness to claim ownership for their decisions that have literally killed millions. They continue making the same kinds of decisions. How come? the denial? the tight lips? the looking away? Could it be that part of the ethos of the USA is forever innocence? never say you have done terrible terrible things to people? never admit them? keep the lid on and imprison the truth tellers like Assange, Reality Winner, Daniel Hale, Donziger? continue to seek revenge against Cuba 70 years later with life-destructive sanctions? What we don't face - individually and as a nation - will come back to haunt us. When we do face the "bad" in us, it allows it to change.