The Death Of Osama Bin Laden

It seemed the hateful acts of 9/11, and the country's reaction to it caused us to go to some very dark places as a nation, and it caused a rift that seemed almost impossible to heal. It feels to me that this is why things have gotten so ugly now.

God's gift of free will made it possible for people like Osama Bin Laden and Adolf Hitler to exist, but it also gave us people like Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, Bishop Desmond Tutu, and the list goes on. Too many people have died from the acts of September 11th and in all that came after- too many families forever changed- this country far too divided. I find it very hard to celebrate on this day.

I am proud of and eternally grateful for all those who risked and lost their lives to keep us safe. I feel renewed hope today, that maybe we can move on; maybe we can start heal this giant rift in our country, maybe people will ratchet down this hate that seems to be consuming us. Call me a pollyannish optimist, but I would like to hope something good can ultimately come out of his death.

I hope and pray that we can start to find our way back to heal that rift and come together again. One nation... I don't know how, but I know we have to find a way home.

It is up for each of us to make the choice in our lives:

We can create or destroy.
We can hurt or heal.
We can love or hate.

By the same token, we can yell at each other, or work together to create a better world for all of us. Sometimes I need reminding of this too.

Ultimately it comes down to us to make the right choices.