Ten years ago I was on my way to a deposition when a reporter broke in over the radio to announce that a plane had crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers. A few minutes later, the reporter broke in again to announce a second plane had crashed into the other tower. A chill went up my spine, but I drove on to the other lawyer’s office and went through with the deposition. After taking the worst deposition I’ve ever taken, I returned to my office just to check in, and then I went home. And there I sat in disbelief. Just me and my girlfriend. Shocked. Stunned. Speechless. Horrified and saddened by the cowardice we had witnessed, awed by the courageousness, thankful our families were safe, and thankful to be together. It’s a day I’ll never forget.
While it's important to pay tribute to those affected by the heinous acts of 9/11, it's equally important to remember that what was a one-time occurrence in America is a regular occurrence in some other parts of the world. Let's save some of our compassion for the innocent people around the world who are subjected to horrific violence on a more regular basis. And let's reconsider ... how much money must we spend, how many wars must we wage, and how many lives must be lost or forever shattered before we realize there's a better way?
As someone much more intelligent than I am said a long time ago, “Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.” That’s the idea behind
these bears, which came to Sofia earlier this year.
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