Confronting tragedy can certainly be an impasse for people who suffer from depression. Often times, people who suffer from depression might be more sensitive than those who do not. Therefore, people with depression might have a different reaction to tragedies, even tragedies they are not directly connected to (via relationships or location).
We mig
ht not remember the date of the Oklahoma City bombing, or Columbine, or Virginia Tech, or Sandy Hook, or more recently Miami, but the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on 9/11 will never be forgotten. Every year, when 9/11 rolls around, we all instinctively remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we found out about the terrorist attacks. This memory is a profound one. The weight of 9/11 is so magnanimous that somehow 9/11 has become an unrecognized national day of grieving the terrors of our country. Here’s what I mean. We might not remember the dates of the above listed tragedies, but on 9/11 we somehow remember those as well.
It’s hard to escape the emotions that the anniversary of the 9/11 tragedies might bring. The media always seems to bring out the worst of the day. For me, I am tired of hearing the worst of the tragedy replayed year to year. This year, I deliberately sought to find any inspiring stories that might have come out of the tragedy. It took some digging, but there are such stories. We might not be able to change the terror of the pass, but, one thing we can do is find peace in the pieces the tragedy has left behind.
Here are a few stories I think might help change your outlook on remembering 9/11. Love stories are always inspirational. These two stories 9/11 Love: 5 Love Stories Born Out Of September 11, 2001 and Five Incredible Love Stories of 9/11 demonstrate how love can prevail in the midst of evil. Also, CNN.com does an awesome job delivering the perspective of the children who lost parents on that day. 9/11 Children What They Can Teach Us displays the faces of the “children”. You can click on each one to read or listen to a story. Some of the stories are touching and others are inspirational. I particularly enjoyed the stories of Brenden Fitzpatrick, Patrick Hannaford and Kim Raines. Fitzpatrick says, “I want to be a light that shines”. Hannaford honors his father’s memory with charity. And, Raines lets us know that, “it does get better.”
It is my hope that from now on, when you are faced with remembering 9/11 or other tragedies our country has experienced, that you find a piece of peace. Let’s remember the pass in a healthy way and as always, let’s press on together!