Today is a day to stop and take pause remembering September 11th. Ten years ago our country was attacked and nearly 3,000 victims were killed that day. Like other moments in our lives, we all remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we received the news.
Being Grateful
Many people ask me if I pray for things I don't have. It seems rather foolish to pray for a new Mercedes in the garage or a second home. Going to religious services once a week allows me to realize how lucky I truly am. I live in a country and in a time such that I can do anything I want (within the bounds of the law.)
Today is that day to give thanks for all we have; it's a day of gratitude. Those who fight against us don't like our free Western way of life. I can go to the grocery store, find anything I could possibly want to eat, buy it and consume it. It isn't that easy in some other countries.
A Not-So-Famous Book
A book written by Mark Twain and published posthumously entitled The War Prayer comes to mind. The main character, a clergyman, reminds us that while we pray for our warriors to be victorious, but on the other side, death, destruction and pillage is what's left behind. This isn't brought to mind because it's about war, but because it's about the dichotomy of life. I believe to have a comedian, you need an audience that laughs; to have a master requires someone to be subserviant; and to have success, there must be failure.
The Flip Side Of Freedom
In order to have freedom, there must be responsibility. Responsibility takes many forms: moral responsibility, social responsibility, and financial responsibility, just to name a few. Responsibilty is the price we pay for the freedoms we have. It is our responsibility to preserve the freedoms we have; sometimes it's not until something is taken away that we realize how invaluable it is.
Have you taken a moment out of the day for remembering September 11th?