it's hard to believe that the attacks on the wtc and the pentagon were 5 years ago. i wasn't sure if there was something i should do. at lunch today my friend gina and i started talking about it. we reflected on where we were when we heard about it or saw it, how we felt at the time, and what we think about it looking back. when i think about it now i'm still very emotional about it. i haven't been able to bring myself to see any of the movies about it - i could barely get through the preview of united 93. when i opened up my browser there was a link to a page where you could "watch 9/11 unfold." my first thought was that i did watch it unfold and it still breaks my heart to think about it.

there has been so much talk about terrorism the last 5 years. i don't know how helpful all the talk has been. while i appreciate the complexity of terrorism/terrorists and i realize there are probably many, many factors involved in what drives a person or people to participate in terrorist acts, i firmly believe that one of the things that breeds terrorism is desparation. the kind of desparation that comes from knowing there is no hope. no hope of life getting any better, no hope of violence ending, no hope of having food for yourself or your family, no hope of getting the healthcare you and your family need to survive, no hope. in my opinion one of the best ways we can "fight terrorism" is by loving our neighbors and taking seriously the need and lack of hope that the majority of the world experiences on a daily basis. and i don't mean love in a "romantic" way as u2 would say, but a love that moves us to action and to changes in our lifestyle... of course i'm preaching to myself first here.

anyway, i just want to encourage everyone to get involved with something that gives hope to others. it's no secret i have my favorite organizations and causes, but in case i haven't gotten in your face yet about them...

there is compassion international (www.compassioninternational.com) which facilitates a sponsorship program for children in developing countries.

you should also check out www.invisiblechildren.com. they are trying to raise awareness about child soldiers in northern uganda. they have put together a dvd telling their story and they are currently working on a second national tour to screen the dvd. i think this time out they are trying to focus on high schools, so if you have any connections with a high school you should contact them. even if you don't have connections but want to host a screening you should contact them.

there is another organization that i'm just learning about called (RED). This is a description of the organization from their website: "(RED) was created by Bono and Bobby Shriver, Chairman of DATA to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund by teaming up with the world's most iconic brands to produce (PRODUCT) RED branded products. A percentage of each (PRODUCT) RED product sold is given to The Global Fund. The money helps women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa." go to joinred.com to learn more about what they've got going on.

of course there are many, many more ways to get involved. enough of my rambling. i've now spent enough time blogging to insure that i won't get all my pathophysiology reading done for tomorrow... sigh.