Sunday, September 11, 2005
Sunday Sept. 11, 2005 - Year 3, Day 174 - on days like today
an early dog walk – then I hit the road; it rained most of the way driving back from Edmonton; 7C, clearing up in Calgary;
on days like today - driving back it struck me driving in rain under low hanging cloud, it is probably pretty much the same everywhere on the planet
on days like today our calendar & media remind us to look back, most of us thankfully, for having not been directly affected by a disaster
for most of us, the disasters are little ones . . . but just as telling
loss of 1 person, 1 house, 1 relationship, 1 business is just as poignant many years later as it is for those who lost something or someone on 9/11
on days like today – many will gather on a site or in front of a TV to remember the loss, few will sit anywhere to ponder the gain
with most losses, there is a benefit somewhere – often hard to see in the moment of reaction & grief, but somewhere there is a new way of being, a new opportunity that comes about, some lessons learned that would have not otherwise been taught
on days like today, some would say the world is safer in the view of some; others would say it is less so
4 years ago today things seemed the same everywhere on the planet – a day like today, when a planet of people were dumbstruck by 1 enormous event, the storm clouds of which still hang
on days like today – we know what will happen; disaster can strike, media & governments can react, donations & help will flow . . & later everyone marvels at how unprepared everyone was – last week’s fallout from hurricane Katrina a prime example
how are the tsunami victims ? has their life returned to normal & do we care ?
I think too often we expect [though we are often sadly disappointed] our governments to care on our behalf staying in touch with issues until things are set right; also we expect our media to keep us involved & up to date; more often they are more interested in promoting their own self interest / political agenda
today we mourn the sad state of things in New Orleans on many levels, pre-empted from public concern for 9/11 remembrances, only to be sidetracked as an issue in the next week or three as some new socio/political/economic bruhaha gets our attention
we are not, I fear, becoming 1 global village of collective caring, but rather pockets of protectionism & self interest we appease with our media, our short lived outrage
I think in 21st century earth we abdicate real involvement to governments, NGO’s & media – preferring to own a piece of the issue/action, the cause for a brief moment before we go back to our lives
Mark
on days like today - driving back it struck me driving in rain under low hanging cloud, it is probably pretty much the same everywhere on the planet
on days like today our calendar & media remind us to look back, most of us thankfully, for having not been directly affected by a disaster
for most of us, the disasters are little ones . . . but just as telling
loss of 1 person, 1 house, 1 relationship, 1 business is just as poignant many years later as it is for those who lost something or someone on 9/11
on days like today – many will gather on a site or in front of a TV to remember the loss, few will sit anywhere to ponder the gain
with most losses, there is a benefit somewhere – often hard to see in the moment of reaction & grief, but somewhere there is a new way of being, a new opportunity that comes about, some lessons learned that would have not otherwise been taught
on days like today, some would say the world is safer in the view of some; others would say it is less so
4 years ago today things seemed the same everywhere on the planet – a day like today, when a planet of people were dumbstruck by 1 enormous event, the storm clouds of which still hang
on days like today – we know what will happen; disaster can strike, media & governments can react, donations & help will flow . . & later everyone marvels at how unprepared everyone was – last week’s fallout from hurricane Katrina a prime example
how are the tsunami victims ? has their life returned to normal & do we care ?
I think too often we expect [though we are often sadly disappointed] our governments to care on our behalf staying in touch with issues until things are set right; also we expect our media to keep us involved & up to date; more often they are more interested in promoting their own self interest / political agenda
today we mourn the sad state of things in New Orleans on many levels, pre-empted from public concern for 9/11 remembrances, only to be sidetracked as an issue in the next week or three as some new socio/political/economic bruhaha gets our attention
we are not, I fear, becoming 1 global village of collective caring, but rather pockets of protectionism & self interest we appease with our media, our short lived outrage
I think in 21st century earth we abdicate real involvement to governments, NGO’s & media – preferring to own a piece of the issue/action, the cause for a brief moment before we go back to our lives
Mark
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