9.10.11, the winnable war

We speak many languages 
but we are all of this earth
We call our god by different names
yet we all seek goodness
We construct our own rules
for we all love our children
Sleeping in mansions or huddled against buildings
we all touch this earth
We drink from the same sky
and splash in the same oceans
for we all thirst
We must all survive madness
We must all feed our families
We all crave laughter and love 
We all crave kindness and understanding
No matter where we are
or what we call it
or for whom we love
Goodness weaves us ONE
blanket of love
ONE body of caring
ONE thought of hope
to win this war


If in this hour of remembrance if we focus on the injustice, the anger and the pain, not only are we antagonizing old wounds; we would also be murdering the victims again.  If instead, we let go of the ick and celebrate what we have learned, then we honor the lost with our gratitude.

So many people choose to blame and harbor hate against Muslims for what was done on 9/11. Islam is a religion which encourages morality, an adoration of nature and peaceful living. Sin is defined as forgetfulness- because we are all good, but sometimes forget to be.  Hating Muslims for the despicable terror of 9/11 is as silly as hating Catholicism for the degeneration of a few pedophiles, or for despising patriotism for the lunacy of Timothy McVeigh, or hating all Romans for the slaying of Christians. The aberrant ones are not representative of their associations. They are the forgetful who cannot see the good.

Many have gone before us and many more will follow.  The majority of people whether Christian, Muslim, Jewish, atheist or otherwise are good.  They all have their reasons for following a set belief path that encourages living a life of integrity.  We all call it something different, but it all boils down to goodness, regardless of its naming.  The important things are to continue in our goodness, in spite of the wrongs.  To learn from whatever life teaches us, and to move forward in a spirit of caring for our brothers.

We speak many languages but we are all of this earth. We call our god by different names, yet we all seek goodness. We construct our own rules, yet we all love our children. Some of us live in mansions and some huddle against buildings in the cold night- yet we all touch this earth. We must all survive madness, feed our families, and we all enjoy laughter.  We are all in this together, no matter what we call it.

So this day has come, the day that we knew would hurt. Ten years ago we were raped of our dignity and our security. We thought we were the untouchable giants who could have it all. But we lost so much and its cost was beyond measure. If anger remains our only paycheck, then we still lay in debt to the force which harmed us. Quietly we must lay down our venomous conceptions to become the most worthy opponents of our adversaries, of ourselves- when we embrace the wonder of what is and what is in each other. Then, and only then, can we win this war.