A love letter on September 11th of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Hearts stopped, both figuratively and literally, as ash and panic filled the sky.
Clouds of black billowed down the streets and across television screens throughout the world. Rubble piled high, and devastation engulfed every town, leaving no community untouched.
First responders, television and radio personalities, politicians, religious leaders, teachers, parents, and everyone with a body and voice acted and spoke.
Nineteen years ago, we struggled to accept, understand, and decipher the events of September 11th. Lives were lost, families and communities were forever changed, and our common thread was the mourning and cry of our hearts. But while our logic failed, our faith in each other and the strength within us did not.
This year, remembrances of September 11th occur in a coronavirus-captivated world. Parents are uncertain of how long school doors will remain open. Employers are unsure of how many times COVID-19 will change safety protocol. Children can barely remember a time without plexiglass and masks. The world is a sea of no smiles. We see fabric where upturned lips should’ve been and fear where hope is better suited.
Let September 11th strengthen your resolve today. Honor those lost and those changed by the events of nineteen years ago by living your best life now. Band together with your family and friends. Stand behind your community. Strive to end the day better than when you started it. Let today be the day that you remember the power of the human spirit.
September 11th and aways, remember:
Kindness is free. Give it generously, and give it often.
Life is too short, so don’t sleepwalk through it.
Love, empathy, and passion are three of the greatest gifts you’ll ever give and receive.
Thank you to everyone who takes the time to make this world a better place. As my favorite Garth Brooks song, The Change, says: This heart still believes that love and mercy still exist. While all the hatreds rage and so many say “That love is all but pointless, in madness such as this. It’s like trying to stop a fire with the moisture of a kiss.”… But it’s not the world that I am changing. I do this so… this world will know… that it will not change me. As long as one heart still holds on, then hope is never really gone.
Author: Evelyn Lindell
9.11.20
