Soundtrack Friday

Funny thing that 9/11 just happens to fall on Soundtrack Friday this year. I remember that day 8 years ago. I was working at an elementary school. One of the teachers got a call and immediately all the TVs were turned on, volume muted, and we kept sneaking glances to the screens while trying to pretend everything was normal for the kids.

I lost a friend that day. Other people I know lost loved ones and co-workers. The city of New York lost a sense of safety and harmony and a nation lost it's perspective. I don't say that to be cruel. Perspective is a difficult thing to hold on to when the symbols of what you believe in - life, liberty, the American dream - are so violently shattered at the whim of people bent on the destruction of those values and beliefs. We're still fighting to gain perspective and to feel safe and to believe that what happened on that day 8 years ago will never, ever happen again.

Today isn't about the politics and the great divides within and with out the USA. It is about remembering that while people sought to send a message of destruction and fear, strong and courageous people stood up against that and ran into the fire and did what had to be done to save people. Many of those heroic men and woman lost their lives, but they will never, ever be forgotten. Their stories live on. And as long as they live on we can remember that while there are those who think we are selfish and spoiled and godless, the history of the American culture and government stands for something. Equality. Freedom. A better life.

We may not always agree amongst ourselves what those three things mean and what they should look like, but that's the price of freedom and that's the joy of living in a nation where I can disagree with you and we can still walk away friends.

Since today is about remembering, and for me finding hope, I bring you U2 and their wonderful song Walk On from their album All That You Can't Leave Behind. Wikipedia has some interesting facts about the song. I encourage you to read them. In the meantime, enjoy the video and please, remember. And if you can, find hope.