Blog Post #4
- Ophelia Santos
- Apr 15, 2016
- 2 min read
I recently had an occasion to go to New York for business. However, I carved out enough
time to visit the 911 Memorial Site and Museum. To say that it was moving is an
understatement. When you arrive at the site you are immediately struck by the openness
and trees on the plaza where the World Trade Center buildings once stood. Having
visited the World Trade Center and Vista Hotel many times I was awed by the memories
and the vacuum left by their absence. In addition, one has an immediate sense of the
special and spiritual nature of this place where almost 3000 souls left the Earth on their
spiritual journey.
Once I paid my respects at the beautifully designed waterfall Memorial, I went inside to
the 911 Museum. I am so glad I did. The Museum is well-designed and enormous in
scale. It is a magnificent tribute to those who died and especially to the first responders
who rushed into the buildings to save lives. I highly recommend a visit to the Museum if
you get to New York.
Upon thoughtful reflection after departing the Museum, I was deeply touched, even
haunted, by the images and artifacts in the Museum. The most compelling images to me
were the photos of people who chose to plunge to their deaths from the doomed
buildings instead of burning to death or dying from smoke inhalation created by the
roiling inferno.
Of the thousands of people who got out of bed and went to work like any other workday
in their lives, none expected to have to make a decision to jump to death to or be burned
alive on that very day. That brings home the point of life very clearly.
No one has any idea how many days of life they have. Every moment, every breath, every
memory we have on this Earth is a gift…….the gift of life. While I walked away from the
911 Museum with a deep feeling of gratitude and solemn respect, the lingering feeling in
my soul is one of joy for the life I have.
Perhaps we should all take a moment to consider the events of September 11, 2001.
When you leave your home for work today think about how you would like your loved
ones to remember you if you did not come home that evening. Think about what you
might wish you had done more of if you did not make it home. Might you have wished
that you had hugged your wife or children a little harder and a little longer? I doubt you
would wish that you had worked longer hours or made more money.
Thankfully a 911 event does not happen every day. But car accidents, train wrecks, heart
attacks and brain aneurysms do. Take your joy from every moment you are breathing
and consider how you can make your life richer and more meaningful no matter the
circumstances. Take nothing for granted…….ever.
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