Seven Years Later, its Still Fresh for Some....

It’s hard not post about the importance of today’s date. Eerily, this was the first 9/11 where the skies were not the bluest of the year. 9/11 is still a tragic day, even after seven years after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. As a resident of New York, I have a few close friends who lost family members on that day and I remember the fear in all of us that morning and for days and weeks and months to follow. I have friends who have obviously never recovered from that fateful day we got the chair pulled from under us and attacked. I live in a city where when the police presence gets stronger and the sirens are louder, I know what day is soon approaching. Sadly, a lot of the downtown area surrounding the fallen towers has begun their revitalization campaign. But almost criminally, this morning’s memorial, the sixth in a series, took place by mounds of dirt. The center that was once the heart of commerce and business in America, remains a dirt lot with construction crews, morbid thoughts and ever growing tourist gatherings. There is no way for this day not to remain somber when we have nothing of benefit to look at it. Its insane to think that Thailand can rebuild a whole city within two years of suffering from a devastating tsunami and we have still yet to complete a memorial for one of the greatest disasters that our country will ever face. Red tape, political fights and just overall obsession with the dire situation seems to be getting in the way of progress and moving forward. Forward steps do not mean forgetting, but it does mean a possible place for forgiveness. Not necessarily to forgive those who committed the heinous acts, but the ability of America to forgive and move on to flourish. While we sit and wallow in the sadness that is this day, we forget all the great accomplishments those who lives were cut short that day. When we argue about body parts and missing things, we forget about the actual presence these people hold in your lives. And in refusing to move on, we as a nation continue to remain stagnant.

In the middle of such a close and important election, its almost impossible to not use this as a metaphor for the upcoming Presidential vote. We can not just allow sadness and negatives take over and run the country and our lives. We must find it in our hearts to take away anything, whatever it might be, from that day and use it for the promise of a new. I know this post is a bit off topic from my usual Lohan stalking and Project Runway criticism, but sadly even seven years later I fear that most Americans are not even close to being done with their mourning stage in regards to 9/11. I was going to post my Palin criticism today, but knew it would be in bad taste, so please check back for that tomorrow.

Make sure that you take the time to tell the ones you love that you do. Especially on days like today.