What have you done since 9/11/01 to make sure your life has been well lived?
“Looking forward, thinking back”/Photo: HAMED MASOUMI
Whether you are a part of the world of travel, finance, or simply a human being in the Western Hemisphere, today certainly marks a tragic day in history.
Around the internet, you’ll find all sorts of pieces related to that fateful day in 2001, all the way from how Obama is handling terrorism to an extremely poignant recount of being in New York the morning of 9/11 by Matador’s own Tom Gates.
Here is a blurb from a 9/11 conversation on Reddit which asks, What were you doing on September 11th, 2001 when the planes hit?:
I called my girlfriend at the time and told her to stay at home because some bad stuff was going down. I made it to work in time to see the second plane hit the towers. Within hours, my company had 6 million dollars worth of software contracts canceled. A week later, 90% of the company was laid off. Over the next 7 years my rights were systematically destroyed, billions were wasted on an unjustified war and the name of America was dragged through the mud.
The terrorists won.
You may need to tweak the story a little, but the last sentence describes how many people feel.
Memorial To The Future
Memorials tend to remind us of the past. In essence, that is their purpose, beauty and how we honor innocent lives lost. But what if, along with remembering the horror of what happened, where we were when a tragic experience took place, or the sometimes painful repercussions of that experience, we contemplate all of the other amazing things that have happened since?
My big question for you on the 8th Anniversary of the US 9/11 is: where have you gone? Where have you traveled that you had previously never even contemplated going; what life work have you accomplished that might have once seemed impossible; what love has been brought into your life?
What I think counts most is what you are doing with the only moment we are guaranteed: now.
What have you learned about yourself, and the world, in order to make both better?
How have you memorialized lives lost, whether those lives were in New York at Ground Zero, fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan, your grandmother, or your 23-year-old friend that died of cancer? Beauty begets tragedy and tragedy begets beauty; what I think counts most is what you are doing with the only moment we are guaranteed: now.
Those who have given their lives willingly or unwittingly wouldn’t want it any other way.
What are some of the amazing things you’ve done since September 11, 2001? Share your experiences below.
Community Connection
Check out Julie Schwietert’s thoughts on last year’s anniversary of 9/11 in “History is ours, and people make history”: Some thoughts on 9/11. And I can’t reiterate enough the importance of reading Tom Gates view of 9/11 in 8:46 am, 9/11 Manhattan.
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4 Comments... join the discussion!
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I agree, great post. To be honest, I did not think twice about today’s date, until I saw postings from Facebook. Been so wrapped up in my own stuff, I imagine like a lot of people.
Well I will say, after that day, I had to deal with turbulent changes. Several months later, I was laid off from my job, and my marriage ended. However, it was for the better, in the long term. After dealing with a layoff, divorce, and the sudden death of a boyfriend, I am slowly picking up the pieces. The transition was very painful.
However, I am thankful I still have a job, been in a relationship for over 3 years. I have traveled to Brazil a couple of times, looking forward to my next trip. Also picked up surfing and snowboarding. Been to Whistler and Vancouver BC.
I realized its not the actual events, but how to deal with these events. I realized I am stronger than I thought. I would imagine similar feelings for others. Life will through shitty cards, but have to overcome those barriers. And my tolerance level for drama is low! My favorite quote from John Lennon “Life is what Happens when you are busy making other plans.”
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Love the positivity here, Christine. Of course it’s important to remember–and analyze, and question, and act–always, but we must be able to move on at the same time.
So many things have happened to me in the last 8 years, perhaps indirectly related to this event, perhaps not. My wife and I were so upset with Bush’s reelection in 2004 that we left the country for two years, which is how we wound up on our current path of freelancing and traveling and all the crazy stuff it’s brought. Extremely grateful to have that option open to us.
Thanks for the post.
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Christine, so many times I read a post on this website. Thoughtful writing, important topics. I appreciated this post a great deal. At the end of a hard day, taking a moment to reflect on where I’ve been and what I’ve done since 9/11.
In fact, I have discovered travel, since I was a freshman in high school in 2001. It’s become a major part of my life. So talking about 9/11 with a moderate Muslim and discussing the 08 election in a Guatemalan homestay. My experience abroad has grown my perspective of our country.
Great post. Thanks a lot.
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