Remembering
Remembering
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the tragic incidents involving four planes used to attack America on September 11, 2001. As I love history, I watched many documentaries highlighting first-hand accounts from survivors.
On this anniversary, I paused to try to remember and attempt to imagine the pain and loss survivors felt that day and the impact on their lives today. To remember was the least I could do.
I paused and remembered
Last July, I traveled with my husband to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. We’ve taken this trip many times over the years. This year was different. While taking an early morning walk along the beach with my husband, I stopped. I imagined the many lives lost on these waters during the transatlantic slave trade. Imagining the creation of a system of inhumanity I read about in books, I mourned the scars left by that system which continues in various forms today.
I paused and remembered
A few years ago, my sister and I vacationed in Memphis, Tennessee. As we explored the city, I felt the heaviness of its history. A city of major significance in the Civil Rights Movement, Memphis’ rich history is preserved in museums and landmarks that tell the story of the city, our country, and society during a time of great division. The city also provides the soundtrack to its history with museums like Stax Records and Sun Records and the entertainment district on Beale Street.
As we visited lesser known landmarks: ruins of a jail for blacks only and a slave auction marker, I felt something. I felt the cries of ancestors vying for my attention to never forget the sacrifice. The nudge reminded me to be grateful for what I enjoy today. I eat where I want, live where I want, and work where I want.
I paused and remembered
There are many places where those who came before us fought injustice and some died in the name of freedom. Some of these are locations we enjoy as tourists, eating and drinking and having a good time. But how often to learn its history and pause to remember?
When we enjoy the cuisine and golf courses at Hilton Head Island, remember that people and a culture were purposely displaced to create this retiree and golfer paradise. Natives to the island continue to fight today to protect their land from developers who look for loopholes to steal their land for financial gain.
When we visit Mt. Rushmore, remember the Black Hills, where this monument was sculpted was sacred Sioux land, taken to build this American tourist attraction.
Many destinations in the United States have rich histories beneath the shiny hotels and attractions we enjoy. I believe when we learn and understand history, it can lead to empathy. Considering the current climate of division in our country, a little empathy may help narrow the gap.
