For the world to change...

I woke up at 3 am this morning. I had a fantastic night sleep. Of course, that's because I went to bed at 6 pm last night. It is so peaceful at this time of morning... quiet and still. As I pour my coffee I realize it's September 11. I breathe deeply to feel the date. It's been twelve years since that devastating day and it's been years since that day has become Nineeleven in our speech. This quiet and peaceful morning has become a somber moment of reflection. In the twelve years since the attacks that changed so many people's lives, many things have changed. We have tightened security in all ports of travel, we have instituted government regulations to identify people by their nationality or potential links to organizations the government is suspect of, we have attacked nations, we are subject to government intrusion in our personal communications, we have censored journalists and others, we have increased military spending, murdered murderers, deepened our anti-islam sentiment and raged in wars, among other changes. None of these changes, however, have changed us for the better. These have only intensified our isolation, our separation, our suspicion of others, our prejudice, our discomfort, our hatred. None of these changes have brought us closer to peace.

As I write this, birds outside my window are welcoming the morning. They do not know it's Nineeleven. They do what birds do, bring us song. As birds unaware of the date, we are go about unaware with increased indifference towards each other. We let those in power rule at the pace and beat of weapons. We allow innocence to die in the crossfire between national egos.

For the world to change, we need to change. We need to stop contributing to the hateful discourses of the day, to stop judging, to open our hearts to peaceful solutions, to demand that our leaders find alternate ways. We need to come together, not wedge further apart, each with our heavy and discouraged hearts. For the world to change, we need to be the peaceful solution we seek. We need to do this is small, daily ways that our children will remember and emulate, that others will be inspired by and imitate. For the world to change, we need to remember the lessons of Nineeleven. For the world to change, we need to stop attacking to obtain peace. Peace has never been attained through war.

There is not one answer to get to a better place, no roadmap to peace. As AJ Must said, there's no way to peace, peace is the way.

My heart goes out prayerfully to all the victims of the attacks of September 11, 2001 and to the victims of all the events stemming from that day. May Love comfort and heal all hearts.