The Wisdom of Youth

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The best gift we can give each other is love. Love is nice and it doesn't get worn out or need batteries.

- Dave Chase, Age 6

Bay Park Elementary School

-- Food (For@Thought.com), October 17, 2001

Answers

Dave and I love you, Unk.

-- Food (For@Thought.com), October 17, 2001.

Reminds me of something that came to my inbox yesterday:

(C) Copyright 2001 by Emily Dietrich Redistribution permitted for non-commercial purposes Contact emily@groupthink.com for other uses

Unlike the Titanic and Oklahoma City, this tragedy contained a window, created by a coincidence of technology and a few moments of life before imminent death, that allowed some victims an opportunity. They could send a last minute message, put one more thought out into the world, and they could know it would be heard.

This is what they said. "I just wanted you to know that I love you."

They said, "I love you."

That's what becomes urgent. That's what a person wants to say, wants the world to know when death is certain.

"I love you."

No one called to say "Get these bastards."

No one spent dying breath to say "I want revenge."

The calls were made to say "I love you."

And in 2001, a time when technology has brought cell phones, voices from the sky, we are able to hear their last words. With our own ears, we hear those who will die in seconds say their last words, a rare privilege.

They said, "I love you."

The answer to hate is love. The opposite of terrorism is charity.

Let's cherish the great gift these victims of terrorism have given us. Let's honor the promise implicit in the privilege of hearing their final words. Let's fulfill the obligation to life that our dying brothers and sisters ask of us. Let's use our lives to say "I love you."

-- Aunt Bee (Aunt__Bee@hotmail.com), October 17, 2001.


The point is essential. Anyone of us could die today. When was the last time you (me) expressed your love to your friends or family?

However I cannot "love" the terrorists. The only kind of love I could extend to them is very "tough-love"; the love that is expressed by righteous bullets up their ass.

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), October 17, 2001.


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