Reflection: Rush of Emotions by Andy Miller (Oct. ’01)
For a generation that always seemed to be searching for an identity, for a purpose, for a sense of unity, a generation that had previously remembered only moments such as the Challenger disaster, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Gulf War, the OJ Simpson case, and the last Clinton scandal, on the 11th of September we found a meaning that we always wanted in a way we never would have dreamed in our worst nightmares. And for the time being, what we can recall is nothing but a maelstrom of emotion.
How can one not feel shock upon seeing the images of the plane crashes, the collapse of the towers, and the rubble that remains? This was something out of a summer blockbuster, filled with special effects that we never expected to see outside of a movie screen. This was war brought home to us like it never has been before, a war the majority of Americans were unaware they were involved in. This was the kaleidoscopic image of a devastated city, the wounded, the smoke imposed on America's greatest city, where as before people could simply turn off the evening news.
How can one not feel immense sadness when one sees a wall of pictures of those missing, photos of individuals during better times, full of personal details, anything to aid others in helping people find their lost loved ones? How can one not feel grief when one of those searching relates a brief story about the person, desperately holding his or her picture in front of the camera, wishing that someone has seen their loved one? How can one not tear up when one hears of the firefighters frantically climbing the stairs even as a steady stream of people were evacuating, even as the buildings collapsed? It breaks my heart in a thousand different ways I didn't know were possible.
How can one not feel anything but pride and respect for those passengers that chose to challenge the hijackers on Flight 93? Knowing that their lives were forfeit, they chose to spend their remaining moments saving others. And as it's been pointed out, they did two things that Americans take for granted. First, they voted on what to do. Then, they prayed.
How can one not find honor in his fellow world citizens? From Canada down to Argentina, from Spain to Korea, the outpouring of sympathy from the citizens of every country speaks of what is best in all of us. The civilized world has a universal respect for human life and its intrinsic value. Thus, loss on such a scale is shared by everyone, as spoken by French President Chirac: “Today we are all Americans…”, echoing and redefining President Kennedy’s comments in 1963 in Berlin.
How can anyone feel anything but shame when you hear of prejudice directed towards Arab-Americans and Muslims? A country that originated out of tolerance for different people and different religions should not quickly forget what's important. While we certainly demand justice and feel anger at those who caused these horrendous attacks, we should not let hate and intolerance become the ruling emotions of the day.
And how can one feel anything but hope for our future as a country and a world? The number of shining examples of the human spirit that have emerged from this tragedy outweigh all the horror that it brought and whatever evil might ensue. The man who wouldn’t leave his friend, a paraplegic, even as the towers collapsed. The courage of the rescue workers, tirelessly and selflessly working to rescue the wounded. The people who turned out in droves to volunteer, to donate money, to give blood. Five different religions, including Islam, with their own representatives under the one roof of the National Cathedral for a memorial service. People holding candlelight vigils. There seems to be a renewed appreciation for what we have — not only the freedoms and the security we have taken for granted, but our bonds with people everywhere, the importance of faith, the value of our very lives. It’s not unusual to see people these days taking a moment for themselves, to offer a prayer for themselves and the world around.
I don’t know what I’ll feel about this event in 50 years, but I know one thing for sure. I’m determined to look towards the future without fear and full of hope. I know from the events of the past two weeks that through the grace of God, the human spirit remains vibrant and undiminished, and that even at the worst of times, there is absolutely nothing we cannot accomplish.
