Courage and compassion fill my heart for the families that are re-living the terrible tragedy that happened on September 11, 2001. I remember my family hysterically calling me to figure out if the plane came on my side of town in Pittsburgh. I remember our professor telling us that after today our lives would never be the same. Tragedies have manifested themselves on our soil yet in my lifetime, I had never imagined this unimaginable situation.
Hate rooted so deep for the price of 3,000 to pay yet the “price is unpaid” because the residual effects are causing people to still fade away- extroverted turned introverted recluse, cancer due to the ingested chemicals, post traumatic stress disorder at the sound of a threat, and orphaned children and widows without their loved ones.
I Google searched the “jumper” famous, yet sad image of a man who jumped out of the building due to increased heat. Wondering what he must have thought to do what he did. I immediately interceded for his offspring and family as well as everyone who was there that day and those who witnessed it on standby or on TV. I hope this weekend of remembrance does not set you back in your journey to healing. Rather, the balm of peace will be so thick that you will still have sweet sleep. As Sunday and the days after approaches, I pray that we don’t storage this tragedy and take it out like a Christmas tree, but that we will continue to go through the healing process as we move towards the serenity to accept the things we can not change, change the things that we can, and have the wisdom to know the difference.
Danita Ogandaga, MSW 