The days following 9/11 were passionate, patriotic days. I remember sitting in long lines at gas stations behind big trucks with giant American flags flying from their beds.
Families and neighborhoods united together for a common good. Sporting events and teams started implementing more focus on “The Star-Spangled Banner” or “God Bless America.” That passion was fueled by a sense of honor or duty.
But many of those days were also scary. There was real fear of another attack or that our economy would fail. Many of our friends enlisted to fight a long battle. But churches had full services, and prayer was frequent. Emails shared messages of hope and encouragement. Ribbons were tied around trees to show support. We called people we loved to check in on them. We banded together, and we cared for each other.
Unfortunately, it didn’t last long. Soon, we all returned to our common way of life. We lost our sense of community and replaced a shared focus and sacrifice with ideas of selfishness and self-centeredness. Not intentionally—it just happened. We got busy with all of our errands and schedules.
We’re now in similarly uncertain times. We’ve been told that if we are to make a difference with this virus, we need to stay away from each other, often in isolation from those we love the most. Read More
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