We often listen to others stories but they do not sink in. We hear them but while we are "listening" we are trying to draw connections to our own story. We look for what we have in common. We consider similar situations, relationships, and outcomes. As we mine through our own past looking for points of connection we miss an opportunity for empathy. We fail to connect.

I refuse to do that today. Today I will listen.

All week I have felt uncomfortable. I feel like a voyeur. This city's identity was changed 7 years ago, today. I was not here. I was crawling out of my bed in Phoenix, AZ. Did it have an impact on me as an American? Yes. Did it change our world? Yes.

But its different here. Everyone knows someone. Everyone has a story. A story of pain, loss, and tragedy. Today I will not try to compare or connect. I will not listen for a theme or a thread. I will listen to the uniqueness of each situation.

May today be a holy day of remembrance...and if possible, a day of hope for what's ahead.