On a day of silence...

[shadesong]

Okay, seems like I'm being disagreed with, and I see your points...

My reply to branwynelf:"I've always felt the idea of a moment of silence to be a powerful one... it was one of the few things I liked about temple. Just taking a moment - or, in this case, a day - to think and to reflect. It takes effort to keep silent, especially for a chatterbox like me! So it would be more of a meditation, for me, that anything else."

That's why I'm doing it, pretty much. I can see why you'd want to use that day to be extra talkative in terms of connecting with people... but it's the opposite for me. I'm fortunate in that I connect with most of the people that I care about on a daily basis, whether it's via LJ or e-mail.

In addition, the moment of silence *is* a religious thing for me; it's the thing I found of most value in Shabbat services. Just... stop. Stop what you're doing, close your eyes if you need to. Be silent. There is power in that silence. There is rejuvenation and thought.

So I'll use September 11th as a day to shut up about myself and think on everything and everyone else. Not to "show" anyone, but for me. And everyone is, of course, welcome and encouraged to do whatever they want for whatever reasons they want.

Now, I've been promising myself reading time since 10 AM, and dammit, I'm going to take it. :) See you guys in a bit...


q

Comments

[branwynelf.livejournal.com]

Totally understand the moment of silence ... I stop at 11 on 11/11 every year for two minutes. Have been doing it since I was a child.

I just feel a whole day of everyone stopping communicating, connecting, sharing - it just tells bin-Laden that we've found another way to continue his start at breaking us down and breaking us apart.

But to each his own, that's the joy of our way of life - we all are allowed to do things the way we want, right? So in that way, those of you who do this because it means something to you, is supporting our way of life too.

::hugs::

[bookofnights.livejournal.com]

I also feel that a phone call is a stronger/more meaningful connection (or better yet, an in person visit) than an email that says "I'm thinking of you". Email has been so casual, so easy, that's practically diregarded as a tool. But silence draws attention to the emails even more. IMNSHO :)

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

I understand what you're saying... but as for me, time enough for silence when we have something really worth remembering. The time for silence is after VJ day, not after Pearl Harbor.

Later, it is my hope that we can have silence on September 11 to remember what it was we fought to get back. That for which most of us have not yet begun to fight. But for this September 11, I will not be silent. Not while I am not free.

Do as you will. I respect that. But in your silence, I ask you, think of me, and others like me.

Then do what you Will.

And as I can, I will defend your right so to do.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

I suspect I'd feel the same... but the silence for the dead is part of my culture and religion. I'm culturally Jewish and grew up religiously Jewish; that's mutated into my being nondenominationally pagan, but there are things about my culture that are ingrained in me. On Yom Kippur, and on the anniversary of a person's death, you light a Yahrzeit candle for them, and you have a moment of silence.

My reaction to September 11th was multilayered. I was unemployed at the time - so I had nothing to do but watch CNN and cry. All day. Not just because of the horror of the act itself, but because it blew my PTSD to hell and back. And what I did, when I was together enough to do it, was buy and light a yahrzeit candle. I said the prayer, I lit it, and I watched it and was silent. This is a healing thing for me.


µ

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying you should not be silent. That is your path; by all means, follow it.

I am saying I cannot. That is my path.

I am also saying that it is my path to be noisy so that, Lady willing, you can
be silent, if it is your wish (and it is) so to do.

Go. Be silent. Read. And return. Healed, and inspired.

And then we shalt kicketh much arse. Together.

(Oh, and if you haven't seen User Friendly this morning, it's appropriate.

http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20020825

I gotcher witch hunt right here.)

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Mmmm. I like you. :)

Join sos_usa!




o

[kk1raven.livejournal.com]

Now that reason for being silence makes a lot more sense to me. I thought the guy with the idea was talking about doing it as "a statement" though, and that just plain makes little sense to me. Doing it to allow for personal reflection and remembrance is different.

[bookofnights.livejournal.com]

Silence for the dead is part of my religion, too. We have a "dumb supper" every year sometime after the fall equinox and before the winter solstice.

Hm... I feel like I'm coming off like I'm arguing, but really, I'm not. I think everyone should do what they want to do to remember (or not) that day. Mostly, I just want to be understood.

I can't get behind the rabid "U!S!A! All the way!" "Wear red, white and blue" rah rah that's going on at work. I don't want to do anything that will cause me to cry at work. I can, for a day, share what it was like for people to ask "are you ok?" and not get any answer. I'll probably re-read this poem (http://www.livejournal.com/talkread.bml?journal=clairaide&itemid=44603), too.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about the mindless patriotism... and personally, I strongly disapprove of our government's actions over the past year, so I ain't doing it. My silence will be out of respect for the innocents murdered that day, not out of a sense of misguided patriotism...

[auryn29a.livejournal.com]

I dunno...I didn't even stop working last year on 9/11. I was aware of what was going on. I was listening to the news, watching people chat about it on #callahans, but I was busy. I had work to do. I was very lucky that I had no loved ones in proximity to the disaster. The closest I had was the father for a friend of mine who was in one of the towers, but got out only a little dusty and bloody.

I watched the news that night, and I cried. And I didn't watch the news again for a week, because I knew I would only cry and not be able to get anything done.

Maybe it means I'm callous, but someone has to keep working. And now I fear I'll get flamed for saying this.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

"And now I fear I'll get flamed for saying this."

Not by me, you won't. *hug*


Ì

[bethynyc.livejournal.com]

I won't flame you. I live and work in NY, and kept working. Mostly brainless filing. I couldn't watch, because it was just too painful to watch happening at the time. I just hoped my then future husband was ok (he was) and concentrated on calling family members.

I didn't go to work on the 12th, attempted to on the 13th but there were no ferries and no bridges so I was stuck on Staten Island. Got back to work on the 14th. Sometimes work or at least keeping busy is the best thing to do. Everyone dealt with this in their own way, and will deal with the anniversary in their own way as well.

[scimiotix.livejournal.com]

I agree with you and I see your point.

Do you mind if I add you to my friends list?

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

I don't mind in the slightest! :)

[sterlingnorth.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking about this for a while and I'm beginning that too much talking about it is draining the annerversary of its resonance -- ironic isn't it? It's not the fault of them, but the swirl or rememberances and displays creat a jarring discordant sympothy. Maybe I'm getting the worse of it, I live 5 miles from the Pentagon on the very road that the hijackers used to direct them to the target. We have a almost surreal mix of beat the flag and mourn the tragedy (and of course, the tragicomedy of this (http://www.livejournal.com/talkread.bml?journal=sterlingnorth&itemid=98209)), I'm just going to have to agree with you. Sometimes you need to shut off the noise to think.

Anyway, I don't think I have anything to say about 9-11 that hasn't been said better by someone else already.