It was 1o years ago when the world was shocked with the chilling images of aircraft colliding with the twin towers of what was the World Trade Center in New York. The terror attacks on the Big Apple is something that should be remembered not just for the continuing war that it sparked or the horror that it certainly placed inside us who witnessed the attacks and perhaps understood their implications for the future. 9/11 showed us the evil that man was and is fully capable of. It showed us the real face of evil and thinking that was devoted to such, without regard to the innocent lives that were snuffed out simply because of vengeful objectives. These same objectives were masked and erroneously justified by a religion that in truth taught compassion rather than violence.
I was hanging out with a couple of friends in a Baskin Robbins parlor just outside Saitama University that 9/11 evening (daytime in New York). We were oblivious to the attacks that were already being viewed by fellow residents at the international dormitory as we enjoyed light talk about life in Japan. I was only 3 weeks into a 3-month stint in Saitama as a visiting scientist sponsored by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and was to return home in early November. We ourselves were surprised when, upon returning to the dorm, we saw residents huddled in front of the huge TV in the lobby with some already frantically making calls to their families, many probably in their respective countries. We proceeded to also call our loved ones, having no trouble in connecting to the Philippines as it was already late night and most people probably slept unknowing about the terror attacks.
Months ago, the brain behind the terror attacks was finally eliminated by elements of the US armed forces. He was apparently enjoying himself while bottled up in a compound that was his safe house in Pakistan, far from where the battles against terror were being fought. With his death, we are sure that someone else will be taking his place and quite possibly continue his cause, no matter how wrong and how evil this may be. We can only be hopeful that the world today would be much more aware of their actions and the potential threats they may pose against us. We can also hope that learning from those lessons, authorities and common people will be more watchful about elements seeking to replicate or mimic actions in 9/11.
I believe we should also be aware and watchful of things happening around us. More that this, however, we should look inside ourselves and ask the question whether we are indeed losing ourselves in the past years. Are we losing our capacities for compassion, for caring or for loving? I hope we are not. And if we are, I do hope that we can realize it now while it is not too late and we can correct our actions if only to preserve what we still hold dear and for future generations who should learn from our mistakes.
I was hanging out with a couple of friends in a Baskin Robbins parlor just outside Saitama University that 9/11 evening (daytime in New York). We were oblivious to the attacks that were already being viewed by fellow residents at the international dormitory as we enjoyed light talk about life in Japan. I was only 3 weeks into a 3-month stint in Saitama as a visiting scientist sponsored by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and was to return home in early November. We ourselves were surprised when, upon returning to the dorm, we saw residents huddled in front of the huge TV in the lobby with some already frantically making calls to their families, many probably in their respective countries. We proceeded to also call our loved ones, having no trouble in connecting to the Philippines as it was already late night and most people probably slept unknowing about the terror attacks.
Months ago, the brain behind the terror attacks was finally eliminated by elements of the US armed forces. He was apparently enjoying himself while bottled up in a compound that was his safe house in Pakistan, far from where the battles against terror were being fought. With his death, we are sure that someone else will be taking his place and quite possibly continue his cause, no matter how wrong and how evil this may be. We can only be hopeful that the world today would be much more aware of their actions and the potential threats they may pose against us. We can also hope that learning from those lessons, authorities and common people will be more watchful about elements seeking to replicate or mimic actions in 9/11.
I believe we should also be aware and watchful of things happening around us. More that this, however, we should look inside ourselves and ask the question whether we are indeed losing ourselves in the past years. Are we losing our capacities for compassion, for caring or for loving? I hope we are not. And if we are, I do hope that we can realize it now while it is not too late and we can correct our actions if only to preserve what we still hold dear and for future generations who should learn from our mistakes.
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