Moving on...Twenty Years After 9/11

Twentieth anniversary,

Remembering adversity…

When evil raised its fearsome hand

And struck at our beloved land.

It’s 9/11 once again –

Reminder of what happened then.

We cannot go back, rearrange,

Eliminate, or ever change

The horror of that single day.

We just move on, and learn, and pray.

Why did this happen? Still unsure.

I only know we must endure,

Must ask the questions, probe the “whys”, Until at last we recognize What we must do, where we went wrong, And how to keep our nation strong.

Ask yourself—why?

When will we learn to live in peace?

When will these horrors ever cease?

We’re seen as arrogant and proud,

Holding ourselves above the crowd,

So hate-filled terrorists take aim

To bring us down, destroy, and maim.

When will you find peace?

Who can I trust at any turn?

And through it all, what can I learn?

I learned that caution may be good;

Yet people in my neighborhood

Who speak and dress so unlike me

Also want peace, just to live free.

Who do you trust?

How have I changed since that event?

New choices on how days are spent:

Not wasting so much precious time,

Not fretting over every dime,

Not putting any dreams on hold,

But taking risks and living bold.

How have you changed?

What do I value? Where’s my wealth?

In things of spirit, peace, and health,

In treasured friendships that I nourish, Relationships I want to flourish, Less focus on material things— I seek the grace contentment brings.

What do you value?

Where can I turn to finally heal

And ease this gnawing pain I feel?

There’s nothing more that I can do,

So, God, I give it all to you.

Please take the pain, transform to good, And guide me to live as I should.

Where do you turn?

What have you gained? What did you lose?

You have a choice. What do you choose?