Remembering September 11, 2011

Today marks the tenth anniversary of the events that changed America, and the lives of all Americans, forever. On this day, there is much to ponder regarding the the meaning of love, hate, terrorism, peace, and how these impact us on a daily basis.

The Dalai Lama, always eloquent in his speech, had this to say today:

Today, as we mark the tenth anniversary of the September 11th 2001 attacks on New York and Washington DC, let us remember all the innocent lives lost and ponder the continuing impact of that tragic day. September 11th reminds us of the horror we human beings can unleash on ourselves when we allow our human intelligence and powerful technology to be overtaken by hatred.

 We need to learn from our painful memories of September 11th and become more aware of the destructive consequences that arise when we give in to feelings of hatred. This tragedy in particular has reinforced my belief that fostering a spirit of peaceful co-existence and mutual understanding among the world’s peoples and faith traditions is an urgent matter of importance to us all. We must therefore make every effort to ensure that our various faith traditions contribute to build a more caring, peaceful world.

Would that we all were able to follow the example of this man, who reaches out in love not only to those who follow him and his teachings, but to everyone.