Oh, how I long for a September 12th mentality\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day we came together\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day we knew that life was short\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
… a day we knew what was good and right and true…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day we knew all lives mattered\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day we weeped together\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day we cried out to a holy God, recognizing we need help and we are not Him\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day we encouraged one another\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day we listened well to others\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
… a day we loved our neighbor…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day we focused on the big picture\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day social media rants were recognized as unhelpful\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day we knew being divisive wasn\u2019t wise\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day politics didn\u2019t matter\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day we weren\u2019t so polarized\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day we respected firemen and law enforcement\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day leaders led\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day leaders fought the real enemy and not one another\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day leaders knew who the real enemy was\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day we knew shaming all Democrats or all Republicans was shortsighted\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
… a day even in disagreement, we respected our President…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day where collectively we knew that love is always stronger than hate\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day where we learned hate was only associated with evil\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day in which we kept the main thing, the main thing\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day where we were kinder\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day we knew the Taliban was bad\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day we all knew sports was just a game\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
… a day we always shook hands at the end of the game…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day when imperfect as we are, we still respected the flag\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
… a day we were humbled as a nation, but full of resolve…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 a day we knew what mattered most\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Jeff Parents, founder of the New York Says Thank You Foundation <\/em>\u2014 an organization which is devoted \u201cto build hope and provide healing to people around the world to continually \u2018pay it forward\u2019 for the humanity, kindness, and volunteer spirit New Yorkers \u2014 and all Americans \u2014 experienced on 9\/12 \u2014 as Parents said\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re not about what happened on 9\/11. We\u2019re about what happened on 9\/12.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Let me say that once more\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re not about what happened on 9\/11. We\u2019re about what happened on 9\/12.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n May we not forget either <\/em>9\/11 or 9\/12.<\/p>\n\n\n\n May we not lose sight of what\u2019s most important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n May we stop allowing lesser things to get in the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Respectfully\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Oh, how I long for a September 12th mentality\u2026 \u2026 a day we came together\u2026 \u2026 a day we knew that life was short\u2026 … a day we knew what was good and right and true… \u2026 a day we knew all lives mattered\u2026 \u2026 a day we weeped together\u2026 \u2026 a day we cried … <\/p>\n