I discovered a poem I wrote on September 22, 2001 so I thought I’d share it on the 20th Anniversary of 9/11:

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~ THEY HAVE NOT DIED IN VAIN ~

If we see life a bit clearer and appreciate its beauty
and glory alongside its horror and sorrow ~
They have not died in vain.

If we’ve reached out to those we love and
opened our hearts a bit more in trust ~
They have not died in vain.

If we’ve learned beyond a doubt that politics and religion
can be dividers of people as well as reconcilers of people ~
They have not died in vain

If we now know that God’s grace and love resides in the
hearts of individuals regardless of race, creed or country ~
They have not died in vain.

Freedom or fear; Love or fear; Courage or fear ~
Everyday battles fought in everyday lives.

If we can believe that the way we live our lives;
The way we treat each other;
And the way we respond to hatred and evil
will bring about change in this world ~
Then they have not died in vain.

~ Mary Lou ~

♥

(Dedicated to the Victims and Families of September 11, 2001)

❤

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9/11 ~ Twenty Years Later

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The sense of national unity is not there today!

“We squandered the global unity and sense of purpose that brought us together on 9/11.”

Garrett Graff (author of The Only Plane in the Sky ~ An oral history of 9/11)

“There’s actually a very direct line between the unity that we experienced after 9/11, the decisions that we made as a government, and our sense of partisanship and polarization that continues to this day now.”

Follow the link for interview with author:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/the-direct-line-between-national-unity-after-9-11-and-partisan-polarization-in-2021?fbclid=IwAR0dKnPrqfnjv2LlP0VQOYyT9w-TMFC2i6R02ts1EOjTNd1lglk9Fp-L2qE