Eleven years ago, fear ruled the day in our country, and its echoes were felt around the world.
Those echoes - manifest as war, violence, discrimination, hatred - continue to this day.
And because the vividness of my memory of that day doesn't seem to fade with time, I carry a dream for my children: that one day they and their children will know only peace in this world.
It may be a dream in the present, but it can become a reality in the future.
It is with this reality in mind that I teach my children the value of peace, love, acceptance, tolerance, empathy.
So that it is normal for them. So they know nothing else. And so that they will teach their children.
War doesn't have to be the way of the world.
What we believe… becomes what is and what will be.
Last night I had the strangest dream
I'd ever dreamed before
I dreamed the world had all agreed
To put an end to war
I dreamed I saw a mighty room
And the room was filled with men
And the paper they were signing said
They'd never fight again
And when the paper was all signed
And a million copies made
They all joined hands and bowed their heads
And grateful prayers were prayed
And the people in the streets below
Were dancing 'round and 'round
And guns and swords and uniforms
Were scattered on the ground
Last night I had the strangest dream
I'd ever dreamed before
I dreamed the world had all agreed
To put an end to war.
{Words & Music by Ed McCurdy as performed by John Denver, 41 years ago, at a peace march in Washington DC}
EDITED TO ADD: As I was just finishing up writing this post, my daughter came over to my shoulder. She asked what I was writing about, and we talked a bit about the events of 9-11. I let her know that they might talk about what happened at school, and she nodded - yes, they already had. At that point, I turned on the song above... and to my surprise, she started singing along. "You know this song already," I asked? "Yes," she said, "We learned it at school". My dream of peace for my children, it seems, isn't my dream alone. I ask you all to BELIEVE that we can change our course in this world, one song at a time, one child at a time, one action, one word. We CAN have peace.