September 17, 2001

The Collective Soul Is Awakened

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change…

God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;

God will help it when the morning dawns…

The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Selected excerpts from Psalm 46

Last week when I sat down to write the Awaken message, I had no idea that the world would be engaging in the exercise I spoke of, soul-searching.  My words haunted me as I reread them after several people wrote and called me about what I had written two days before that terrible Tuesday.

“I have trouble looking at the world and appreciating it as it is right now.  In an age that offers so much access to the diversity we should see as a blessing, discrimination and hatred exist all around us.  Freedom is denied to people, hunger is a reality to people in every country, and when a group once hated is accepted, another takes its place… As life continues to throw new challenges my way I am beginning to recognize the power of true soul-searching.  Starting from a position of appreciation (understanding my worth and significance) for the world and myself, including all the inherent flaws, I awaken the soul to the answers I seek.”

If I go back and include our country in what is appreciated, then I would say I understand its worth and significance.  When David, our fifteen-year-old son came home from school on Tuesday he said, “I never appreciated our country until now”.  If any good is to come out of this horrific event, then this is a glimmer of hope.

During the past several days, I have heard more experts on television and radio than I knew ever existed.  They offered us knowledge about various aspects of defense, culture, rescue, or religion depending on their background.  Most also offered their opinions to us also on what either “went wrong” or might happen in the future.  Talk radio allowed people to vent frustrations, offer support, and some even promoted their personal philosophical or political agenda. 

While engaging in information overload, I was touched by many people in both words and deeds.  The images kept me riveted to television and are permanently etched in my heart.  Still, others angered me:  a caller who quotes a passage from the Koran that speaks about smiting ones enemies and drawing on that for his hatred for Muslims without bothering to look at the Bible to find similar passages; another who believes total annihilation of entire countries with nuclear strikes are justified without regard to innocent human life; another who believes that all we have to do is offer an apology for our government’s foreign policies and that will change everything because they cannot comprehend that evil and hatred exist no matter what the circumstances are; or another who disguises them self as religious and seizes on the actions of these fanatics to promote their own agenda by telling us this is somehow God’s retribution and they know why.

As I became more angry and disgusted by what I saw and heard, it suddenly dawned on me that this is why our country is worth appreciating and even fighting for.  The United States, even with its imperfections, allows us the freedom to voice our opinions and disagree.  It encourages debates on foreign policy, the military, science, and morality.  In the United States we promote the fundamental principle that all people are created equal (even though we don’t always get it right).  Finally, those who founded and subsequently those who fought for this country promoted religious and spiritual freedom.

Most of all this week has reminded me that we have a collective soul, captured by the media, which made us cry and cheer at the same time.  That soul has made the oceans a little smaller and the language of love and mercy universal.  The collective soul has brought together labor and business; democrats and republicans; Christians, Jews, Hindus and, yes, Muslims.  Our need to connect with other souls caused churches to overflow Sunday and social events to become fundraisers.

When the Divine included free will as part of our human experience that allowed us to choose our own direction without Divine intervention at every turn.  Unfortunately this week most of the world felt victimized as a result of human free will.  When others forcefully impose their will on us, we see how precious the gift of free will truly is.

This tragedy has awakened the connections among our souls reflected in the tears and deeds of many.  It is our collective soul that will need nourishment and caring to aid us in the days, months and maybe even years to come as we struggle to find ways to preserve our way of life.  May your individual soul guide you to a state of peace that ultimately connects to a world of peace.

With respect, acceptance, and love,

Richard

© Richard D. Olson and Awaken The Soul, 2001; Edited by Janice E. Olson

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