This is the 10th anniversary weekend of the 9/11 attacks ... I know a pretty obvious statement. I have to admit that this year more than others, I am feeling a bit raw emotionally about the anniversary. Maybe it is all the the questions that my daughter and son who were 3 yrs. and 2 yrs (respectively) have been asking about the vague memories they have of that day and its events/ Maybe it is all the coverage on the news, maybe it is all the shows that some of my favorite channels have been producing and showing this month. Maybe it is the idea of this possible terror plot. Most likely it is all of these things together.  

Yes, I am going to cry a lot this weekend. I am going to cry remembering the shock, fear and anger of that day. I am going to cry when I see the images of despair, fear and destruction. I am going to cry in mourning for those who lost their lives and for those who live with the loses of those they loved and cared for that day. I am going to cry for the caring and heartfelt compassion that people poured out to help each other get through the tragedy of that morning. I am going to cry because in my heart I still feel and believe that this is a great nation of people.

I still believe that we cannot be destroyed by an outside force based in hatred. I still believe that we can only destroy ourselves for the inside, by fighting amongst ourselves. I still believe we are a people descended from ancestors from many different parts of the world; all searching to make a better life for themselves and their families. We are descended from strong pioneers and immigrants who were looking to be free in ways that were thought radical in most parts of the world. I believe we are still pioneering our way through this world. I believe that as much as  9/11/01 was a day of suffering and grief, that 9/12/01 was a day of aspiration and ascension. I believe we still have faith.

I do not have hope that this country will survive. I have faith. To me, hoping for something implies a wishing that something will happen. Faith implies that you believe it will happen. Faith implies confidence. I do not hope for change. I have faith that change will be made. I have faith in this because many are beginning to remember that we make our country what it is and will become. We hold the power. We are not defined or created by our government, we define and create our government. I have faith that we stand by our beliefs, values and rights.

We can still rise up as a country. We can still be true Americans. It is not going to be easy. We are going to cry, because it will not be easy. Tough decisions will have to be made by the people and those we choose to put in power. There is a saying that we need to remember - "You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time." In the same respect, those we put in power, those who choose to abuse that power and not respect the wishes of the people should remember what Abraham Lincoln said, "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time." Not everyone will like the changes that need to be made. We need to believe that we can make it through these tough times. We can. No, we have to make it through, because as much as we are able to rebuild skyscrapers and erect memorials, if we do not preserve this country, it's beliefs and values, then the 2,977 victims of the 9/11 attacks died it vain. If that is true then the 19 hijackers and the countless people who supported them succeeded.  They did not tear us apart, but they would have succeeded in proving that we are as weak as they had hoped. I have faith that we will prove them wrong.