Yahoo! is asking Americans how September 11 changed them. Below is an account from a reader.
In the past, we’ve sought out New Yorkers for strength, determination and reliability. They were unbreakable, unemotional and often quite brash.
On September 11, 2001, we all witnessed the emotional depth and psychological fragility of these tough souls. But we also saw how much love they had for us.
We saw a glimpse of their human side through the collective wound that continues to provoke emotional pain. Whenever September 11th is featured or mentioned, I weep. The empathy has not subsided since that fateful day. I view the victims as having sacrificed themselves to protect us, allowing us to realize that it can happen here. There is no greater love than to sacrifice yourself for another. They have given us this gift. We are responsible for honoring this gift by living our lives, loving and appreciating those we still have with us and abstaining from being shallow towards others. We no longer have an excuse to be shallow and superficial for it was due to those events that we all realized we are connected spiritually.They sacrificed themselves so that we wouldn’t have to make that choice. Their selfless acts were a true gesture of love.
Our responsibility to them is to accept and appreciate that sacrifice they’ve made on our behalf. They made it safer to travel, safer to be in an urban or rural area.
They gave us the freedom to reach out and take a chance because life is too short.
Reach out and grab what and who you want in your life. Be with those you love and truly appreciate their presence while they are still with us.
Live your life and love those you want to love. Live where you want to live. Reach out to those you want in your life. Life is too short.
Don’t allow their sacrifice for us to be an act in vain.
En route to work, a rock struck the windshield of my vehicle the very moment the first tower was hit in New York. I wasn’t aware that this was a “wake-up call” until I finally got to work. A numbing surreal environment surrounded us that day. Then came the collective pain and sorrow.
I didn’t personally know any of the victims from September 11th and even as an empath, I cannot imagine how emotionally painful it was for the families and friends of the victims.
My prayers and love are with those in pain and affected by September 11, 2001.