Today minus 7...

Wow, a two post day. That's huge! I'm sure many of you have had thoughts about this being the anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001. At this time seven years ago Erik and I were in Mexio City, Mexio - stranded halfway home from our honeymoon. I think we actually may have been visiting the pyramids at this time, somewhat unaware of just how serious things really were and how despite being booked on flights several times a day for the next 4 we wouldn't be home for nearly a week. We were also unaware of how everything else would be different. Some changes were obvious as we we finally arrived home via our "around the mulberry bush" type return trip though Toronto, Windsor, Detroit, etc. Airport secuity was like we had never experienced - new searches, new questions, new fears. There were American flags everywhere - on people's houses, cars, along the roadside. There was a sense of togetherness, kinship and patriotism I had never known. I don't ever remember feeling so unified with citizens of this country who I could not see and would never meet. Erik commented many times on how the stress of the wedding was followed by a realxing few days in Costa Rica only to be thrust into far worse and disconcerting stress by being stranded from home and then returning to a home that was so different. Gradually over time, things returned to "normal," but not the same. There is a sense of vulnerability that changed how I think about our future: travel, home, work and dreams. This type of change seems to have been the only thing that continued and propegated after the attacks. That sense of unity ebbed away far too soon. In the wake of the Republican and Democratic national conventions I'm reminded of how much we've lost since that time. As I listened to many of the speeches I was disheartened by the lack of respect party enthusiasts have for their "opponents." It's as if the United States political culture has become so egocentric that they've really forgotten that we're one country. We all live, work, and vote as a single body of citizens. Now, we obviously don't all vote the same way or have the same values but when this election is over we are actually all citizens of the same place. Obama may be McCain's president or McCain Obama's. I know this seems obvious but our behavior sure doesn't indicate that. I guess I see the partisan bickering and divisiveness as seven years-worth of steps back from where we were after those horrible attcks seven years ago (hence the title "Today minus 7" - explanation provided for husband who was confused). We've forgotten we need to work together for the good of each other as countrymen and for the rest of the world and stop trying to just be the loudest and last one heard. That means speaking, thinking and acting with integrity, consiousness, honesty and open minds. I know it's a tall order at the moment but it would be nice for me to feel like I could write a blog post this time next year that was titled "Today plus 8" because we've made so much progress.