As the media reported on the many moving events yesterday commemorating the thousands we lost on 9/11, I was reminded that you can always stop and just remember them in your own way whenever you choose. This suits me because Sept. 11, 2001 is a day that is present forever even a dozen years later.Like so many others, I lost friends, former co-workers, close associates, trusted sources and people I knew casually. Others suffered much deeper losses — spouses, fiancées, lovers, parents, children, siblings, relatives, extended family and best friends.
So many New Yorkers have stories about their connections to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11 and on Feb. 26, 1993. I’m sure people in Washington, D.C. working at the Pentagon, and the people that live in and near Shanksville, Pa., also have stories about deep loss and near misses. We should stop and listen to these stories.
We should remember names, good times and special moments when we connected. We should even recall the fights and disagreements we had with those we lost. In fact, I don’t regret the strife because with one friend I lost, we had worked it out. We came to an agreement and moved ahead. I am very glad to have those memories.
While I strongly believe in the healing power of solitude, meditation and reflection, I also think there are times when silence is the wrong choice. So, every once in a while, we need to step back from the daily strife and gain a better perspective. Pause the mad drive to operational efficiency and declare a ceasefire in internal turf battles that are getting too intense. Even though it’s hard, I say give voice to those that are no longer with us and honor them for what they taught us. We will get back to the day-to-day battles soon enough.
We must remember their lives and their triumphs. We need to keep them alive in our minds and our hearts. It’s the best thing we can do for them and for ourselves.
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