Monday Motivation: 11 September
Got the Monday blues? Reclaim the day and set the tone for the entire week with these helpful, motivational tidbits:
“September 11 is one of our worst days, but it brought out the best in us. It unified us as a country and showed our charitable instincts, and reminded us of what we stood for and stand for” – Lamar Alexander, former US senator
Today marks the 22nd anniversary of the September 11 attacks, also known as “9/11”. On this day, members of the al-Qaeda terrorist organisation had hijacked four passenger planes: two of these crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York City, New York; the third crashed into the Pentagon in Virginia; and the fourth crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania.
Approximately 2 977 lives – that of civilians, air crew members, firefighters and law enforcement personnel – were lost that day and in the brutal aftermath.
As such, this week on “Monday Motivation”, we remember those who perished in the attacks and send out our thoughts to those whose lives were irrevocably changed by it: the survivors, the victims’ families and friends, and citizens in the USA and around the world who, in that moment, were united together in their support, thoughts and prayers.
Indeed, as Alexander’s quotes exemplifies, in times of disaster and chaos, the best traits in us are brought out. We are able to draw from wells of resilience in order to reach out, to listen, to be kind and be generous. It’s just a matter of incorporating these into our daily lives beyond the disaster and chaos in order to make a much bigger impact.
“Why am I here? What is the reason I was saved? They’re really unanswerable questions. After going through something like we did, all you can do is try to live your best life from day to day and move forward with gratitude” – Brian Clark, Canadian businessman and World Trade Center survivor
At the time of 9/11, Brian Clark was a 54-year-old businessman working for Euro Brokers Inc., an American brokerage firm located in one of the Twin Towers known as the South Tower. When the second hijacked plane hit the South Tower, Clark and his fellow colleagues attempted to escape.
Clark became separated from the group when he heard a call for help and went to investigate: that group would perish when they tried to ascend to the roof of the building. Clark and Stanley Praimnath, a bank employee whom he saved after the latter was trapped in rubble, managed to escape from the South Tower just four minutes before it collapsed. Only 18 survivors – including Clark and Prainmath – escaped from the South Tower’s impact zone after it was struck.
We can learn many lessons from Clark, who in the aftermath availed himself in setting up a relief fund for his deceased colleagues’ families: it can be easy to get swept up in the frustrations, challenges and stress of everyday life. However, rather than complain and winge, it’s important to remember to stop and show appreciation for the things that you have, especially while you still have them.
Indeed, sometimes thinking about, or getting involved in negative or difficult situations can help remind you what you have to be thankful for. Think back to some of your past experiences and try to figure out how they have helped shape you into the person you are today.
“No day shall erase you from the memory of time” – Virgil, Greek philosopher
These are the words inscribed on the entrance wall of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, which occupies the site where the World Trade Centre and the Twin Towers once stood. The museum commemorates the lives of those lost in the tragic events; their names are etched in the bronze parapets that stand at the edge of the two pools representing the North and South Towers.
Twenty-two years on, and the pain of 9/11 still lingers. However, the names of the 2 977 people who died – and the images and memories associated with them – shall never be forgotten. From the restaurant worker and the financial employee, to the in-flight attendant and the fireman arriving on the scene and never returning, they left an indelible mark in both life and death.
In a similar way, when we lose loved ones, while friends come and go with the wind, time may not be able to heal your wounds completely, but at least it will provide a balm in the form of positive memories. Likewise, if you give yourself to the world, offering the best of yourself in everything you do, time will remember your name as well.
