#StressManagement #SelfCare #SelfNurturing #DayOfRemembrance #SocialWellness #NeverForget #September11 #9/11
"On this day 21 years ago...
246 boarded a morning flight
2606 people went to work
343 firefighters went to the station
60 police officers hit their beat
8 paramedics checked their supplies for the day
None of them saw past 10am on September 11, 2001." ~Amended from BrianKolb
There are those of us in the United States that can attest that there is a stark difference in the country before September 11, 2001, and the country that emerged after. For example, prior to September 11, 2001, there was no such thing as the Department of Homeland Security. Prior to September 11, 2001, there was no such thing as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and getting through an airport was not as much of a headache as it can be today.
Those of us who remember the before, often with the very mention of the phrase "9/11," we can be instantly transported mentally back to where we were and what we were doing the moment we realized our nation was under attack. In the beginning, it didn't really seem like an attack. I can remember receiving the first news of the event from two teachers. At that time, the first plane had struck the north tower. We were all under the impression that it was a horrible accident. Less than 20 minutes later, a second plane flew into the south tower of the World Trade Center. It was at this moment that it became clear that this was no accident. The attacks didn't stop there that day. A third plane crashed into the side of the Pentagon. Then there was the final plane, United Airlines Flight 93. Brave citizens recognized that our nation was under attack and their plane too had been hijacked; they decided their only recourse was to fight back and they sacrificed their lives in doing so.
As a nation, we came together and grieved. Some grieved family. Some grieved friends. Some grieved colleagues. However, the overwhelming majority of us, opened our hearts wide to grieve strangers we had neither ever met nor ever known. Twenty-one years later, we now observe this day as a "Day of Remembrance." In honor of September 11, 2001, EnvisionCo Blog invites you to support your social wellness and well-being by honoring the spirit of sacrifices made that day by finding ways to give back in your local community. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Moments of Silence
Mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, aunts, uncles, grandpas, brothers, sisters-were lost on September 11, 2001. You may have known some of them or you may not have. They lived, they laughed, the loved, they cried, they died. Their lives, their dreams, their hopes, their aspirations mattered. Take a moment today in quiet reflection and keep their loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.
Stair Climbs
I've heard it advertised several times in my local news all the way down here in rural Alabama-a stair climb in honor of the 343 first responders. These brave heroes did not hesitate to run into a dangerously unstable building to climb 110 stories to save all whom they could. Try finding a local event to not only help honor the heroes who died that day but also to symbolize the completion of their journey to save others.
Share
In this digital age, we express ourselves by posting on various social media platforms. You can use today to take to social media to share your stories about 9/11. Share thoughtful memes and posts honoring those lost. Some use the hashtag #NeverForget
Serve
Whether you volunteer your time (cleaning up local community, mentoring and educating youth) or your money (donating to worthy causes) putting the needs of your fellow humans first is one way to honor the self-sacrificing spirit of 9/11.
Today's article was in no way an exhaustive expose on the events of September 11, 2001, nor a deep dive into any conspiracies about the day. However, it is a brief reminder that things happen to a people (or in the case of 9/11 to a nation) that can rock us to its core. It is so easy in these moments to shrink back in fear of the what-ifs or to succumb to the lust of revenge. However, when the dust settles and we begin the healing process, it is important to never forget our own humanity and values, while we endeavor to honor and keep alive the memory of those lost. I'd love to hear from you in the comments your remembrances about the day, where you were and how you learned of the attacks and how you commemorate the sacrifices of that fateful day. And please remember as you begin any healing journey, do not worry about getting it perfect; just get it going. Until next time. Happy reading.
"Every conquering temptation represents a new fund of moral energy. Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before." ~W.B. Yeats
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Thank you for this article. It’s sad that not many of us still take in remembrance of 9/11.