9/11: 15 Years Later

Today we remember the thousands of innocent lives lost on September 11, 2001, when a group of cowards hijacked four passenger airliners and perpetrated the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history. The four coordinated terrorist attacks killed 2,996 people and injured over 6,000 others, with civilians, firefighters, and law enforcement officers among them.

A few days ago, I came across a YouTube video that made me sick to my stomach. It contained audio of separate calls made to 911 by two people who died in the 9/11 attacks -- Kevin Cosgrove and Melissa Doi. You can sense the hopelessness in their voice as both distressed individuals exhort 911 dispatchers on the line to rescue them. Cosgrove states that he's "too young to die," and Doi seems resigned to her fate, somberly declaring, "I'm going to die." I can't imagine what they were feeling as the grim reality that they were in the final moments of their lives began to set in.

It's hard to believe that today marks the 15th anniversary of these horrific acts -- a day that would change America forever.

After watching that video, I felt two things: (1) A rush of patriotism at seeing how, 15 years later, The United States has emerged stronger and more resilient than ever amid global terrorism (2) Grateful for the chance to live another day and for all my blessings.

Piggybacking on a theme in several of my recent posts, we never know when our time will be up. That's why we should aim to live our lives to the max. That means never taking anything for granted, never holding back on achieving our goals, and never missing a chance to tell loved ones how much they mean to us.

Those who perished on September 11th will never be forgotten, including the men and women in uniform -- true heroes -- who gave their lives in the line of duty.

I am proud to be American, especially on this day.

Comments

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n...

Do you have Isolophilia? Find out...

You're probably asking yourself, "What in the world does Isolophilia mean?" It sounds like it would be something negative, doesn't it? After all, words that end in "philia" (e.g., pedophilia) tend to involve things we want nothing to do with. But Isolophilia isn't something all people deplore. In fact, introverts like me welcome it. Put simply, Isolophilia is defined as having a strong affinity for solitude. It describes a person who relishes being alone. While extroverts can only take so much solitude, we introverts find that it rejuvenates us. In order to recharge our batteries, we need to retreat to a quiet environment where we we're left alone to rest and/or gather our thoughts. Extroverts, on the other hand, become bored and drained when they're alone for a lengthy period of time. Social interaction is the fuel that drives them. So while an extrovert would probably do anything to avoid feelings of Isolophilia in most cases, an...

This will spell the end of your relationship

When asked to think about the most common culprits for a relationship's going south, most people will point to cheating, complacency, and taking one's partner for granted. While these are all valid -- and documented in various posts on this blog -- there are certain habits on the part of partners that may not kill the relationship right away, but cause it to erode more gradually. Among the most egregious of these is expecting your significant other to be perfect. They pick at your follies any chance they get. Nothing you do is ever good enough. In fact, you will never measure up to an ex, neighbor, or accomplished co-worker. Perhaps this all sounds a bit familiar. When you feel as though you're constantly being put under the microscope, it can inflict lasting damage on the relationship and your self-esteem. You're walking on eggshells all the time, praying you don't say or do something that's going to trigger your partner. This is no way to live, let alone ca...

How To Understand People

Search This Blog