Pause: The Somber September
- Stacy Williams
- Sep 18
- 2 min read
The month of September has been somber for me for the last twenty-four years. September 11th will be indelibly imprinted on those of us who witnessed the event via live TV and experienced the aftermath. This year, with the assassination of Charlie Kirk, school shootings at Evergreen and Annunciation, and the fatal shooting of police in York County, Pennsylvania, it is especially heavy. Hearts are hurting. Emotions are running high. Patience is thin.
Despite myriad tragic events, life moves forward. And we're given choices. How will we spend our precious days? The hours are filled with opportunity, each minute a beautiful gift. I read a quote from Toby Mac today: "Morning is God's way of saying one more time. Go make a difference. Touch a heart. Encourage a mind. Show some kindness." Toby's statements always encourage me to pause and reflect.
Beautiful things happen alongside the tragic. The first day of preschool. A grandmother's 98th birthday. Moving your child to college. Spending the afternoon with a friend for her birthday. Congratulating your parents on their wedding anniversary. Remembering a beautiful soul who lost her battle with cancer but still touched so many lives, right up to the last day. The poignancy of a brother's birthday who is no longer here to celebrate. A cousin you wish you could laugh with one more time.
We all carry burdens. Life isn't fair. Good things happen to bad people. Bad things happen to good people. Injustice feels rampant. Discord is everywhere. How are we supposed to function when tragedy hits our personal world? Especially when the larger world feels so personal via social media and 24/7 coverage.
Another quote by Toby Mac hit me hard: "Practice the pause. When in doubt, pause. When angry, pause. When tired, pause. When stressed, pause. And when you pause, pray." I know those words describe my life at times. Angry, tired, stressed, overwhelmed, stretched thin. We can give the pause a try and let those emotions smooth out before reacting. Take a deep breath. Give it a chance. Life is precious. Also, finite.
We can control our thoughts, our attitudes, our reactions. We can spend our lives sowing kindness, setting an example, giving selflessly, loving others. We can start doing this in our homes, with our partners, families, friends, in our small circles. We can choose to celebrate, honor, remember, congratulate, and rejoice in the midst of the pain, the confusion, the chaos. The fabric of our lives will continue to be altered. But we can choose our legacy.
What do you want to be remembered for? Our minutes, hours, and days are still ours to live. Determine your path. Be a light. Spend your time wisely. Pause. Pray.
September was a solemn, somber month this year especially but its hard to believe its been almost 25 years since 9-11! And so many who lost their lives this month, its just heartbreaking. I love the quotes you shared. Pause is good, but pause and pray is the best! Prayer is indeed our lifeline of hope in these difficult days! Always love your blog posts and thank you again for that special afternoon!!!