The story of 9/11 varies in both voice and perspective.
On the one hand, it is a national story about brutal terrorism and American resiliency. It is a tale of barbarism and heroism … a tale of the cowards who targeted innocent civilians and the brave men and women who faced them down on the streets of New York and the battlefields of distant countries.
On the other hand, it is a personal story – one told differently by everyone who tells it. In fact, each one of us has our own 9/11 narrative. Each one of us has our own recollection of that fateful day – where we were, what we were doing, how we responded. Each one of us welcomes the opportunity to share it with others and can still do so in amazingly graphic detail.
And on the most personal level, the 9/11 story is one of human tragedy. For nearly 3,000 American families – including 12 here in Ridgewood — this is a story of unmitigated pain and senseless death. Children lost parents. Parents lost children. Husbands and wives lost each other. On this level, this is a heartbreaking story with very few words, but a whole lot of sorrow.
Here in Ridgewood, the 9/11 story has special resonance. It features 12 Ridgewood families and a community that has stood with them, mourned with them, survived with them. Here, the story is something shared and something special. From our houses of worship through the bustling life of our community, the lives and legacies of our fallen neighbors remain ever-present, ever-important.
Suffice it to say, regardless of perspective, the 9/11 story unites us in a compelling way. It underscores our shared humanity and our shared determination. And when we come together on Sunday, in communities throughout our great country, that humanity and determination will be on full display. We will reflect. We will cry. And we will recommit ourselves to honoring the lives lost through acts of compassion, acts of patriotism, acts of civility.
After all, the moral of the 9/11 story is that we are all in this together.
