Week Sixty-Four: A Time of Remembrance

As we begin a time of more actively remembering the events of 9/11, and of the losses involved in those events, my mind turns – as well – to all the life that continues to thrive in spite of the terrible events we all experienced last year. As I listen to the media, and to the many programs scheduled to commemorate the event, I also find myself wanting to continue to notice where life expresses itself in spite of what happened.

Because this can be a time of stress, due to anniversary responses, recalling those awful events, this week’s experiment asks you to explore what it’s like to hold two seemingly-paradoxical attitudes at once. The grief and concern that still accompany the experience of many about the events of 9/11 are real and need to be expressed as they arise. Our grief is often the least we can offer to our losses. You might explore what rituals best express your feelings about 9/11, whether that would mean lighting a special candle, putting flowers in a place where they honor those who were lost, placing photographs that are meaningful to you in areas of honor, or whatever would have meaning for you. Then, in a completely different direction, take time each day to notice how nature renews itself, how life continues. As you do this part of the experiment, notice your response to making room for both loss and renewal. Notice those times when you don’t feel like doing one or the other, or neither. Those times are part of the process, as well, and there is no “right” way to move through an anniversary as powerful as this one.

As with every experiment, be sure to allow yourself mixed feelings, and to allow curiosity to be your constant companion. We each have a unique and personal way to process loss, fear, or trauma of any kind, so this week’s experiment also invites you to be particularly aware of your style of being present to these kinds of experiences.

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