Remembering Hope

"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, 

but to add color to my sunset sky."

- Rabindranath Tagore -

A week from today is the 10th anniversary of a national tragedy with international consequences. It's easy to recall a disaster with sorrow and resentment and much harder to reflect on such an event in a way that allows us to grow and move forward. But right here, right now, I believe that is what we need most.

I didn't lose a loved one as a result of 9/11, and my heart will forever be saddened for those who did. In writing this, I have no desire to pour salt on the wounds of the families affected by this atrocity by telling them to cease mourning over their losses; instead, I want to sprinkle water, if only little by little, so we can cleanse ourselves and choose to remember something far greater than flames and bloodshed.

Hope.

It's been buried beneath rubble for nearly a decade, and we're still searching for it. A few weeks back, I attended a candlelight vigil for a classmate who had passed away unexpectedly. What struck me the most was the quiet energy and strength present that night. Even with a moment of silence and a slight chill in the air, we found a reason for celebration. We laughed. A lot. Friends, teachers, and classmates told stories and chose to focus on the positive difference this individual made in so many lives.

Today, I watched a segment on Sunday Morning that focused on the spouses, children, and colleagues of people who died in the World Trade Center. The victims and their families represented all racial/ethnic and religious backgrounds. It didn't matter that they differed in appearance or faith; they had all been touched by a single event in history and were all struggling to move on. One story focused on a Muslim woman and her children - a woman who has probably received suspicious glances at airports because of 9/11, but who in fact lost her own husband that day. Their son was born just two days after the attacks. Another was a Latina woman and her two daughters. One daughter was inspired to become a NYC police officer; the other is in training to become a pilot. Even ten years later, people are still wrestling with tragedy and reaching for hope.

On September 11th, don't point fingers. 

Non-Muslims: Do not turn your back on your Muslim neighbors and blame Islam for an act of violence most do not condone and are not connected with. 

Muslims: Do not play on the defense and allow yourself to grow bitter over the assumption that you're a constant target; try to empathize with others and use it as an opportunity to educate others on Islam and foster understanding.

Americans: Come together. Witness our common humanity and the power of resilience.

If you expect me to warn against letting your emotions get the better of you, you're mistaken. Do just that. Let love, happiness, empathy, compassion, and gratitude get the very best of you. And never stop hoping.

Embrace.