Sept. 11 Remembered

Once again Sept. 11 falls on a Tuesday.  So much has changed since Tuesday, 9/11/01, yet so much remains the same. Sept. 11 was a special day for me long before the terrorist attacks of that year — it’s the day my dad was born in 1908 — he would be 99 years old if he were still alive.  It was quite interesting growing up in a household in which your dad is 26 years older than your mom (and only 7 years younger than your grandmother!)..LOL

Cheryl Richardson, author of one of my favorite books, Take Time for Your Life, has written a special essay about remembering 9/11 and creating a remembrance ritual for yourself:

September 11th Ritual

This week, in remembrance of those who lost their lives on September 11th (along with their families and friends), I share a newsletter that reflects a yearly ritual in my life.  I hope it helps to reconnect you
with what matters most. . .

Today, in honor of those who lost their lives on September 11th six years ago, I invite you to participate in a ritual I use to remind myself of the things that mattered most on September 12th.  During the day after the attacks, so many people were acutely aware of something special — the innate goodness in humanity that had millions wanting to help, or the natural compassion we held for one another that caused us to light candles, lay flowers, say prayers, or send donations.  Many of us experienced first-hand the beautiful empathy we possess that made it easy to step into a stranger’s shoes and imagine what it must be like to desperately search for a loved one or to experience the deep, searing pain of loss.  And most of us felt an instinctive, almost primitive need to reach out to loved ones and hold them close.

September 11th was a pivotal event in my life.  Having spent that morning at Boston’s Logan Airport in lock down while state police searched for hijackers, I will forever feel intimately connected to the circumstances of that day.  When the first plane hit the World Trade Center, I was sitting on an American Airlines flight to California waiting for my friend Max to arrive.  For the first time in our ten-year friendship, we were traveling together on vacation.  Needless to say, our flight never took off, and that experience marked a turning point in my life.  Over the next several months, everything came under scrutiny — my relationships, my work, how I spent my time, and the legacy I would have left behind had my life ended.

That day showed me the true, universal priorities we all need to keep at the forefront of our minds — how connected we are to our own soul, to each other, and to a power greater than ourselves.  Realizing this truth in such an earth-shattering way gave me the courage to make tough, sometimes unpopular, choices to insure that my life was reflecting what mattered most.  I decided to travel less and be home more.  I gave up some goals that were more important to my head than my heart.  I made my spiritual life more of a priority.  And, I started the ritual of answering the following questions each year on September 11th that I share with you today.

Once you’ve had a chance to read this newsletter, take some time to think about these questions.  Then, write the answers in a journal or notebook. You might even print them out and discuss them during dinner with family or friends.  Please don’t wait for a crisis to take your life seriously.  Do it now . . .

~*~ Am I pleased with how I’m spending my precious time on earth?
~*~ Am I spending enough quality time with the people who matter most?
~*~ Am I doing my best to listen to the voice of my soul so I make real, honest choices based on what I most want?
~*~ If today were my last day on earth, would I feel good about what I’m leaving behind?
~*~ Am I sharing (or working toward sharing) my God-given gifts and talents with others?
~*~ Are there any petty disagreements or differences that I need to let go of once and for all?
~*~ Is there someone I need to forgive?

As I set out to complete this ritual myself, I send my love to those of you who were touched by the events of September 11th six years ago.  Whether you lost a loved one, a job, hope, or faith in a positive future, always remember that you have a place here with us in a wonderful community of like-minded souls who care about you.