12 September 2018

I saw a post in Facebook yesterday about how the world looked to us on Sept 12th. It made me a bit sad because I agreed with it.

I don’t ever want another Sept 11, 2001. It was horrible and it rocked our world. Sept 12th was a day that brought us together as a country. We’d been attacked in a way no one thought would happen. It was beyond our comprehension at the time but I witnessed a connection that did not consider conservative, liberal, progressive, black, white, Democrat or Republican. 

Churches opened doors to give people a place to meet, pray and try to make sense of it all. We cried together over the loss and the shock of the violence that took place. People ran to the site and helped where they could. People died in the rescue efforts as well as the attack. 

I had to travel from Atlanta to Shreveport for work that week and flying was not possible. I rented a truck and drove 10 hours and spent the week with my friends at the General Motors plant where they made trucks. 

I also traveled to Lordstown, OH to another GM plant shortly after that and got this shirt. It was a somber time but we felt like we were together again. 

What happened? Did we forget? I don’t believe that for a minute but something happened. We are divided on many things and I believe it serves no one but those who want to retain their power.

Here’s a thought. “I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.” – Thomas Jefferson to William Hamilton, April 22, 1800

What happened to being friends and disagreeing. We have disagreed since the start of this country and somehow we thrived. We built a republic that raised the standard of living around the world. People live longer than ever before. There are problems to be sure but they are solvable if we work together to get things done. 

I think about Charity Water and their mission to bring clean water to the world that lacks it. 100% of funds donated go to that work. It’s a project that is big but they are making progress every year. I doubt all those donations come from people who agree on everything but they have made a difference. That’s just one example of things that we can do if we work together.

I have experienced the conversation that descends into name calling when logic fails but I have also experience the conversation with a friend who is a polar opposite with me politically. I learned a few things and he heard my point of view and we are still friends. We help each other and I refer him to my clients and he refers me but we don’t agree on many things.

How is that possible?

I remember the flags on Sept 12th. They were everywhere. Yards, stores, mailboxes, houses, office buildings, government buildings, and everywhere else you looked. People were kneeling but it was not in protest. It was time for prayer and I believe it’s time for that again. Today is a day we can pray for unity.  

Today, I would ask you to turn off the news, go knock on your neighbors door and introduce yourself.

I’ve been in my new home for about 3 months and have met a few neighbors but not all of them. I know the names of Dennis, Diana and Robert but that is about it for the ones close to me. My plan is to go invite them to my house for a house warming event. I’m going to go knock on their doors and invite 5 one way and 5 the other way to come meet with us for a meal, music and a few laughs I’m sure. If all goes well I’ll know about 20 of my neighbors at the end of the evening. 

Do you know your neighbors 5 doors down? I will soon and I encourage you to do the same. It might be the solution we’re looking for but you have to step out and do it. You have to be the one and you can’t delegate it to anyone else.

Will you?

Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson
678-231-1578 Cell

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