Love & Hate

What a strange start to the week; flashbacks to 2001 and to those terrible images of the Twin Towers being attacked by terrorists.

Do you remember where you were when you heard about the attack on NYC (and let's not forget the other two planes that were hijacked that day).

I clearly remember that day and I always will.

I also clearly remember being in NYC in 1999 and seeing those amazing towers. They imposed so heavily on the skyline; they gave the city part of its silhouette. I could not believe that they had fallen.

I was in NYC again last year and I really struggled to visit Ground Zero and the surrounding memorials and sites.  I still tear up when I see the images of those plans slamming into the skyscrapers. This happened to me as recently as last night, when in covering the Bin Laden story, the news coverage flicked to this image; it caught me unprepared and I was in tears.

By now you all know the news of the week; the head honcho of these terrorists has been taken out. But is it just me, or does it seem bittersweet that his death is now being celebrated so heavily. Even our own Prime Minister stated, 'I welcome the death of Osama Bin Laden'. It jut doesn't seem like the right thing to say.

So I totally get that Americans feel the need to celebrate and be relieved that Bin Laden has now paid the same price that all those civilians did on 9/11; but it is still making me feel odd and out of step.

One of my friends posted this quote on Facebook tonight and it really resonated with how I'm feeling about this subject:

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."
--Martin Luther King, Jr.

So, I think we can choose to be hateful about what has happened and what can or might happen to us, or we can choose to love; to let the light that love brings take away the darkness.

I know what my choice is; light, it's always for light.