I just came back from an amazing holiday in America. So many memories. One of the many places I visited was the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. It was heart wrenching and extremely full on. I remember as a little girl watching the news and seeing the footage of the tragedy. As I walked through this Memorial, I had to stop and write how I felt.. I just had a craving to express all the numerous emotions I was experiencing... this is what I wrote.
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Behind this blue wall are the remains of victims from 9/11.
People who could not escape, those who tried to help, and others who jumped from a window in hope to be caught at the bottom.
I walked through this gravesite and I felt anger, sadness and hatred. Hatred towards those who committed such a horrid act. I felt my blood begin to boil and I stopped... what am I meant to feel? What does God want me to feel?
I walked through the photos of lives lost.
A women who rescued animals and never got home to her cats. A father who would hold his daughters barbie doll in his back pocket, where did she place that barbie doll after September 2001? Another man was simply caught in the dust cloud. That was it, and he passed later that day.
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." -Psalm 23:4
Valley of death. I am blessed to say I have never truly experienced this situation. But I can imagine that 9/11 would have been a valley of death.
I always say that there is always hope. No matter the situation. But how can I say that when something like this happens? Which happens more often then we realise.
Compassion.
If we do not suffer and experience loss. How are we to develop compassion? Compassion can be natural but you truly become empathetic when you experience hard times. You feel and feel for other's. And that causes you to help. This is sadly not always the case. Some become hard hearted. But compassion is fearless. You cannot be selfish and have compassion. Compassion is the backbone to bravery. Its what leads firefights to danger in order to save others. Calls doctors to save lives. And others to simply give out a hug when another is sad.
Without compassion we are not human. And our hearts can be like Gods. If we use these situation for good and to grow us, we can use what we learn to make the world better.
