The Day The World Stood Still

Today I woke with a broken heart. Due not to the memories of 9/11, (although those will be forever burned into my subconscious,) but because I still don’t know what to do about it.

9 years ago the world as we knew it changed. People who had otherwise been happy suddenly became damaged pieces of glass that their loved ones struggled to glue back together. Families were pulled apart, countries crumbled under the weight of heavy tears, and mothers clung to each other with nothing more than hope to keep them on their feet. Alienation fell and for one brief moment love reigned.

But 9 years later I fear we have forgotten our lesson.

Analysts say our world is ruled by greed, that religion and political beliefs will always hold us back, keep us from becoming a harmonious unit. To this I say bullshit! For 1 day nine years ago; regardless of our views, our anger, or our shock, our first instinct was to love. We sought out our families, we called our friends, we held the stranger next to us hand in hopes that we could pull strength from one another. Console the weeping heart that stood so close to our own. We hugged each other.

So why…so few years later…do we find it so difficult to embrace those same actions? Why do we curse the countries around us, call them weak or expel them for their thoughts? Why do we always choose hate over love? Why do we expect from others what we don’t expect from ourselves?

This is what keeps me in tears, so today… the day that everyone is hyper aware or their own emotions I issue this challenge:

Hug someone.

Show them that regardless of it all; the bad, the miscommunication, the intolerance, that love is the only 4 letter word that is mandatory in this world.