Traffic came to a halt today. A policeman stopped the opposite lane to pick up branches in the middle of the road. I'm sure he had other heroic acts to do, but he did us all a favor. That's admirable.
Eight years ago on this day, I had a choice to be in class or attend an event at the World Trade Center. Annoyed, I stayed in class instead and missed the event. About an hour later, tragedy struck.
First plane, then the second.
I'm grateful I stayed in class. To be honest, I don't remember what kind of event I missed. What I do remember is being in class.
At the time, class was boring. Usually is right? Being in class did not resonate as adventurous or heroic. I would say the same about picking up sticks.
If you're stuck doing the mundane, keep at it. Do not write off where you are from where you intend to be. It's what the heroes of the NYPD, FDNY, the community of NYC, and the United States of America displayed on and after 9-11. Day in and day out, people fought through the ruble. We kept picking up sticks even when others scorned and preached our demise. We got through that day as a country, not as a party.
These were the ordinary. They were the brave. It's the reason we support our troops. It's what unites donkeys and elephants. It's why I choose not to blame the economy. We got through 9-11.
That's what I remember which is why I won't forget.
