Responding to 9/11 Terrorism,
with The Fullness of Life.
In the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the news media and the
internet are overflowing with a plethora of opinions about who should do what to
whom. It seems that nearly everyone is using the present turmoil to fight for
their own personal viewpoint and self-centered agenda.
However, beyond such mundane viewpoints and petty agendas there is a Greater
Agenda which we are invited to respond to.
As Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi said:
Out beyond ideas of
wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field.
I'll meet you there.
All too often we are distracted by the shiny, sparkling trinkets of the
moment and we completely lose sight of That Which is really important.
It is abhorrent that over 2800 people were killed during the September
11th terrorist attacks, but that is actually less that half the number of
people than die due to "normal" causes in the US every day, year after year.
Shouldn't we honor every life, all of Life?
- There were 2,404,624 deaths in the United
States in the year 2000.
- In the United States there are
approximately:
6,588 deaths every
day,
13,651 deaths every week due to
heart disease,
10,612 deaths every week due to
cancer,
41,804 deaths every year due
to automobile crashes,
16,137 deaths every year due
to homicide.
Yes, over 24,000 people die every week due to cancer and heart disease in
the United States!
Where is the outrage at over 40,000 Americans being
killed by fellow Americans in automobile accidents each
year?
Where is the outrage at nearly 20,000 Americans being
murdered by fellow Americans each year?
Why don't those deaths, week after week, year after year, prompt outrage
such as the government and media have aroused with the "terrorists"?
Isn't it remarkable how little attention we pay to the 24,000 deaths
every week due to heart disease and cancer in the United States?
Isn't it remarkable how little attention is paid to over
40,000 Americans being killed by fellow Americans in
automobile accidents each year
Isn't it remarkable how little attention is paid to
nearly 20,000 Americans being murdered each year by fellow
Americans?
The news media and the government, for the benefit of
their own self-centered
agendas, try to get us outraged over some specific issues while all too
often ignoring or overlooking greater issues.
For example, the news media and our own government get
us all riled up over "terrorism", but they fail to look
truthfully at the underlying cause or peaceful solutions.
Fortunately, Life goes on, and each day brings us new opportunities to discover the
inner peace, love and understanding which are our Divine Birthright.
Every living thing will die, yet we are all given a measure of free-will to
choose how to live the days that we are blessed with. So, how will you live
your remaining days? Will you live your remaining days with hatred, anger
and violence, or will you choose a path of Love, Harmony and Beauty? There is no higher calling than to honor and glorify our Creator
by living an unselfish life filled with love, compassion and joy.
Nonetheless, there is a silver lining to this dark cloud. The terrorist attacks and the
ensuing "war on terrorism" have given us cause and opportunity to re-examine our
own personal life priorities. What is really important? Money? A big house? A
fancy car? Violence? Anger? Hatred? There is nothing of real importance other than living an
active, unselfish life filled with loving-kindness, compassion and joy. There is no
enduring happiness for anyone who is not engaged in being a willing instrument
of the ever-loving Divine Presence, bringing gifts such as love, compassion and
joy into this world in every moment of every day.
We can only honor those who have gone before us by living and
honoring life in a sacred manner which acknowledges the spark of Divine Presence
in every human being.
Beyond names, beyond forms, there is a Reason. And that Beloved Reason urges
us onward, enticing us in one moment, defeating us in another moment, that we
may each finally discover the Fullness of Life which arises when we live every
moment with loving-kindness, compassion and joyful tolerance for all.
...there is a field.
I'll meet you there.
Wishing you love, harmony and beauty,
wahiduddin
posted June 23, 2002... revised Jul 10, 2018
Appendix A. US Statistics
According to the
National Center for Health Statistics, there were 2,404,624 deaths in the
United States in the year 2000.
Here is a summary of the major causes
of US deaths in the year 2000:
1 Diseases of heart
...........................................................709,894
2 Malignant neoplasms
......................................................551,833
3 Cerebrovascular diseases
..............................................166,028
4 Chronic lower respiratory diseases
..............................123,550
5 Accidents (unintentional
injuries).......................................93,592
...Motor vehicle accidents
................41,804
...All other accidents
........................51,788
6 Diabetes mellitus
................................................................68,662
7 Influenza and pneumonia
..................................................67,024
8 Alzheimer’s disease
.........................................................49,044
9 Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis
...................37,672
10 Septicemia
........................................................................
31,613
11 Intentional self-harm (suicide)
.......................................... 28,332
12 Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis
.................................. 26,219
13 Essential hypertension and hypertensive
renal.................17,964
14 Pneumonitis due to solids and liquids
................................16,659
15 Assault
(homicide).............................................................16,137
All other causes
.....................................................................400,401
Annual Total, year
2000.......................................................2,404,624
