Human Spirit

Yesterday, on the anniversary of 9/11 I was thinking back to how I felt in 2001--the uncertainty, the frustration and most of all the sadness. I still feel sadness at the loss of life and the loss of feeling safe in our own country, our home. I would imagine the same sense of loss and frustration as well as sadness is experienced by the families who care for children with chronic or severe diagnoses--like cancer. Every day I see parents who are fighting hard for their children, pulling for them to get better and to resume a "normal" childhood. The feeling of loss--loss of health and the fear of the unknown are almost overwhelming but these families pull together, become stronger, and are able to adapt to their child's illness. This determination and love that I see every day--the caring and tenderness--reminds me of how people can adapt to disaster and move forward--always different, always changed but still living life. I saw this same phenomenon on 9/11/2001--complete strangers determined to assist others, kindhearted individuals helping strangers. Families determined to fight for the life of their loved ones. Six years later we still see that determination in the eyes of the survivors. They are determined to move forward even though their world has changed. Funny how disasters (of any sort) bring out the true human sprit.