Thursday, September 11, 2008

Slice of Lime-Light One Candle

On the 7th anniversary of the attack that occurred on September 11, 2001 I offer this. Yes, this song references Channukah but I think the lyrics transcend that. Regardless of feelings about what has resulted from 9/11/01, regardless of opinions about the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq, regardless of opinions about the current administration or thoughts of Us vs. Them, please remember those who have been lost, those who have sacrificed to protect us, and consider what is your part in making sure the light is not extinguished by hate. This is not a pro-war or anti-war statement. It is an encouragement to personal reflection as befitting the day.



LIGHT ONE CANDLE
Peter Yarrow- ©1983 Silver Dawn Music ASCAP

Light one candle for the Maccabee children
With thanks that their light didn't die
Light one candle for the pain they endured
When their right to exist was denied
Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice
Justice and freedom demand
But light one candle for the wisdom to know
When the peacemaker's time is at hand

chorus:
Don't let the light go out!
It's lasted for so many years!
Don't let the light go out!
Let it shine through our love and our tears.

Light one candle for the strength that we need
To never become our own foe
And light one candle for those who are suffering
Pain we learned so long ago
Light one candle for all we believe in
That anger not tear us apart
And light one candle to find us together
With peace as the song in our hearts

(chorus)

What is the memory that's valued so highly
That we keep it alive in that flame?
What's the commitment to those who have died
That we cry out they've not died in vain?
We have come this far always believing
That justice would somehow prevail
This is the burden, this is the promise
This is why we will not fail!

(chorus)

Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!

20 comments:

Breazy said...

Very fitting for today I think.

Have a great day!

Sheri said...

Remembering today and always the sadness of that day.

Desmond Jones said...

Thanks for this. . .

Mona said...

My Condolences to a Nation's loss.

Hope the sacrifice was not in vain!

S said...

I will never forget waking up that morning to my sis in laws tearful phone call about the towers. I turned on the tv, and watched....I thought I was having a night mare.

Will refrain from saying anything like...you know, other countries have suffered so much more.

I hold to the feeling that that moment in our history was/is very important to our healing as a nation. One has to hit bottom first.

Bijoux said...

Remembering with all of you.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful tribute to today. Thank you for sharing this.

Doo Dah said...

*tears in my eyes*

Well written, Ms. Lime, and a fitting song for all of us to remember.

PEACE.

Anonymous said...

this is a wonderful rememberance. :)

Elle Dubya said...

i was sitting in the dentists exam chair when the receptionist came back and gave us the news. i thought it was one of those little 2 seater planes. we had no idea what was really happening.

none of us will ever forget.

Craver Vii said...

Thank you for that, Lime. I think you treated this subject very well. I began this morning's prayer driven by the somber memories of 2001.

TLP said...

Tonight I'm going to an interfaith service to remember this terrible event. But mostly I think of my Mama, whose birthdate it is. She died at 91 and would have been 99 today.

BTExpress said...

Both the picture and poem are very moving.

Jeni said...

Michelle -I'm taking your song's suggestion to heart -sitting here now, typing, with one little candle lit and hoping, praying, someway, someday, for peace. Your choice may not have been meant for something like the remembrance of this event, but I see a definite correlation there. Let none of this please have been for naught, in vain.
Inside myself, I'm singing the children's song I know, that we've been trying to teach Maya now too -"This Little Light of Mine" -as somehow it seems more fitting to me today than ever before.
Thanks for your words, every day, but especially today.

Anonymous said...

amen.

barman said...

Well said and I hope that meaning is not lost.

Even though later people would be split apart, at the time it brought us all together. I hope we can find a much better way to do that again.

SignGurl said...

Beautiful.

Jocelyn said...

I think of 9/11 as a day of loss--all those innocent lives--and of America waking up for the first time.

Sigh.

G-Man said...

There's a C in Hannukah?

The Zombieslayer said...

Good call.
Politics aside, I think this day is more remembrance of those who died that day.