Tag terrorism

It’s hard to relive that day but it’s hard not to. We all remember. That’s as it should be.

We were on vacation in New Mexico and at the airport when we noticed people standing around looking at the TV’s located around the terminal. We wondered what everyone was watching. So we joined one of the crowds.

As we watched, the horror of it all began to sink in.

The United States under a terrorist attack? How is that even possible? How would they get across the ocean? Where did the planes come from? Why didn’t radar spot the foreign aircraft?

Of course, those questions were answered in due time.

Which brings me to the question of evil. I certainly won’t be able to cover the subject but here’s what I believe.

Evil exists,

independently,

all by itself.

We try to convince ourselves that a person’s background and upbringing are what causes evil. And then we hear of someone who’s committed an horrific act and there’s nothing in his background to explain it.

Maybe it’s a brain abnormality. Maybe it’s one or the other, maybe a combination of both, maybe neither.

The Bible quotes Jesus Himself, “That Satan is the ruler of this world.” All evil is personified in satan.

But how do we combat evil? Or even can we?

I don’t think we always can.

But I do believe that every time

 we choose to pick right over wrong,

to demonstrate love rather than hate,

to choose justice over tyranny, to do good for those less fortunate,

to choose life over death,

we pierce through the atmosphere of evil.

Every time we choose

to smile at a stranger,

pray for someone,

support a charity,

we lessen its influence.

Every time we choose

to love a person even though we don’t condone their behavior, 

we allow that person to love someone else

and evil is diminished once again.

It was a few days later before we could rent a car and start the long drive to Michigan. I will never forget seeing flags everywhere, some hanging from overpasses, some mounted in the ground along streets in small towns, flags on houses, at rest stops.

Americans showing their love of their country. It was so “quiet” everywhere we stopped. At the rest stops, restaurants. It seemed as though the United States was whispering it’s outrage rather than yelling as it usually does. There was such restraint.

I will never forget it.

So today is a day to remember how we live in the best country in the world. Where freedom still exists. Where we still all come together when we are threatened. That is “community”.

Bu it’s individuals that make up a community so let’s do our best to make the world a better place by confronting evil through our love for each other.

God bless.