I thought I’d re-post this four-year old September 11th blog, since it still seems relevant. Little did I know four years ago when I wrote about the divisions and anger in our nation and at the 2012 political conventions how much worst it could get! Be kind to yourself and to others today, please.
Re-post from 9/11/12
I’m terribly sad, which I suppose makes sense, since it’s September 11th. Everyone is allowed to be sad on this one day. You’re not told to “buck up” or “move on,” you just get to be sad.
The odd thing is, I had forgotten the date. I don’t watch television or get a newspaper, and I usually spend my mornings “unplugged” and in silence. And yet I felt myself sinking from the moment I dragged out of bed, late. I turned on the car radio on my way to the doctor’s office and heard some guy talking about how pain is often a shell around understanding or something like that, and how we have to go through the pain to get to meaning, which is very important in trauma. I turned it off. I was already down and didn’t want to hear about trauma.
Then I saw about a dozen people waving huge American flags from an overpass. Something to do with the election, I guessed. Perhaps they wanted us to honk, but nobody did. It still didn’t register.
It wasn’t until late this afternoon that I was writing a check to my doctor and asked for the date. She looked at me like I must’ve just returned from the Mars expedition. “Oh,” I said, and wrote September 11th.
I feel kind of bad about not remembering, like it’s dishonoring to the people who died and their families. I guess my psyche knew, though I was not aware of it. I had plugged into the cosmic stream of grief and loss that is part of the human journey without even knowing I was supposed to be mourning with the rest of my nation.
Thing is, I no longer feel the sense of oneness and spiritual attachment that was so beautiful during the 9/11 aftermath. (I am *not* saying that 9/11 was beautiful, I am saying there was beauty in our response.) It’s long gone. One of the things I mourn on this day is the fact that we can’t have that unity more often. Even the chants of “USA, USA!” at both the political conventions were accompanied by clenched fists and mostly angry or righteous expressions.
Today my response is not to reach out for community or conversation. It’s to isolate and allow myself to be sad. I’m sure there’s a load of talking going on out there in TV/radio/internet land. Nothing more needs to be said, and I don’t want to hear it.
I’m just doing simple, nurturing things. Writing in my journal, watering plants, filling the birdfeeders and birdbaths, making a healthy salad for tomorrow’s picnic with someone I love.
But here I find myself reaching out, after all. Somehow I just wanted to tell you, whoever you are out there in the blogosphere…I am sad today.
Writing with Spirit 
Sep 12, 2012 @ 01:30:38
Shelby turned 21 today. Both a reason to be sad and a reason to celebrate. I, like you, didn’t dwell too much on the impact of 11 years ago, today. That was until I happened upon a show on National Geographic that was showing an elderly couple presenting his brother’s security pass to his office in the twin towers to the 9/11 memorial commitee. The significance wasn’t so much about his death but how he became a casualty by staying behind with a wheelchair bound coworker so she wouldn’t be alone waiting to be evacuated. Those are the stories that mist up my eyes and make me take note of 9/11. Humanity trumps patriotism.
Sep 11, 2012 @ 17:43:14
You didn’t really forget it was 9/11. Your “psych” was protecting you by allowing you to forget. Don’t feel guilty about it. I believe it’s called “denial” and to be in denial is a way to protect yourself. If you do feel “terribly” sad as you said, after all this time, it may help to go to a “Healing Field.” Visit my post to learn more about it.