I have no doubt that you remember where you were on that morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001. But do you just as clearly remember the morning after? In such a horrific tragedy, what is most important is what happens afterward … within us. Six years later, as I reflect on this September 12, 2007 morning, I am reminded of the words that my great friend and mentor, Kevin Freiberg, used in the foreword that he wrote for my book, Silent Alarm. He said this:
Something happened in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. People around the globe, and certainly in the United States, became more reflective. We began to rethink our priorities and recommit ourselves to the individuals we love and the things we deem important. Many garnered the courage to say, "I’m not going to sell out my family anymore just to keep up or get ahead at work. I’m going to check-in, reengage and ‘be there’ for the people I care about most." Yet old habits die hard. Ask the average person, "How much has really changed in your life as a result of 9/11?" and the answer, unfortunately, for many is, "Not much." It is as though we received a wake-up call and, to use John Blumberg’s words, "rolled over and hit the snooze button."
So how is your morning after … six years later?