9.11.20 || We've definitely forgotten
Almost 20 years, our country experienced the most unbelievable thing that most of us had experienced in our lifetimes. Everyone can tell you with precise accuracy where they were, who they were with, and the emotions of that day will still come flooding back. We haven’t forgotten the day.
Almost 3,000 people died that day and over 1000 more died shortly after from related illnesses. Those numbers meant something, and we all mourned the loss of each and every life. We still read off the full list of names on each anniversary of the attack. We haven’t forgotten that day. But what no one talks about anymore is the unity that came after the attacks. We were all on one team. We pulled together, and somehow found comfort in that solidarity. I can still remember how my eyes would well up with tears every time I saw an American Flag sticker or banner on someone’s car, and how lines of people flocked to donate blood because at least it felt like they were DOING something. I remember feeling so much pride in my fellow Americans because we were looking after one another and showing support in whatever way we could.
Then a few years later, I remember commuting to work, and seeing some of those very same stickers that had faded from the sun, or peeled off of the cars. The banners had torn and fallen off to the side of the freeway with slurpee cups and other trash. I distinctly remember thinking what a metaphor that was for how we had all just sort of returned to our normal lives. We didn’t forget the day, but we had forgotten the feelings. We’d healed up from the immediate wounds, and with our pain no longer so fresh, we didn’t HAVE to think about it as much because we weren’t feeling it so deeply.
And now, almost 20 years later, I don’t even recognize this place as the same country. We are living with a very different kind of pain now. We are still losing lives each and every day. Each week we lose as many people to COVID as we lost to 9/11, yet rather than collectively mourning them, we are pointing fingers or denying that it’s even real. We rationalize the death as elderly, or pre-existing conditions. We went from being as united as we could be, to completely divided. We can’t even agree on the most basic things. Our country has never been perfect, but watching the way that we fight with each other now is so disheartening. And I know I’m as guilty as the rest.
We didn’t forget the day, but we’ve forgotten the lessons we learned.