Ground Zero and This Troubled Country

Like many of  you I have worried about where we are going as a country. Thinking back particularly over the logjam in Washington I don't know how we got here. Was it the War and the lies behind it? Was it our fear of another attack? Was it all that money we put on a credit card--asking no sacrifices from anyone--except those boys and girls that fought while we forgot. Maybe it was just grief over knowing we had had joined the rest o the world and we were not really safe anymore. Most of the folk I know want us to address the hurting problems of this country. Unemployment, immigration reform, the economy, gay rights, and the endless war--they have all taken a back seat to jockeying for power, saying anything--anything to make sure one can win an election in 2014 or 2016.  Have we lost our sense of decency? What ever happened to the common good?

My wife and I took a subway just a week ago down to Ground Zero. We had not been there in years. We

stood in line with people from all over the world. Slowly we made our way into the museum and it all came back--the sadness of that terrible day, the enormous loss that is still with us. We looked up at the faces of those that we lost. We read their names and remembered again they were people just like us.

We moved over to the Memorial--a beautiful waterfall and around it are the names of all those that gave their lives that day. People stood in silence just looking. Sometimes words just won't do it. I remembered back to how we joined hands and hearts after that. We pulled together, at least for a little while. That visit where the tall towers had stood brought back the poem written by Cheryl Sawyer:

"As the soot and dirt and ash rained down, 
We became one color.
As we carried each other down the stairs of the burning building
We became one class.
As we lit candles of waiting and hope
We became one generation.
As the firefighters and police officers fought their way into the inferno
We became one gender.
As we fell to our knees in prayer for strength,
We became one faith.
As we whispered or shouted words of encouragement,
We spoke one language.
As we gave our blood in lines a mile long,
We became one body.
As we mourned together the great loss
We became one family.
As we cried tears of grief and loss
We became one soul.
As we retell with pride the sacrifice of heroes
We become one people.

We are
One color
One class
One generation
One gender
One faith
One language
One body
One family
One soul
One people  

We are The Power of One.
We are United.
We are America."

Will we ever find our way back together--or will we just tear each other to pieces--leaving all our problems by the wayside? It all depends on us, doesn't it?

          --by Roger Lovette/ rogerlovette.blogspot.com