Life doesn't occur in grand moments. It's small moments that count.
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Regardless of your 2021 media diet, access to this information surrounds us. In 2001, my wife and I had welcomed our first born, just six-months earlier. I was a new teacher with young students. We'd learned the towers were struck, watching it develop on one television in the school lobby. My first priority was ensuring students got home safely to their parents. Then I could race home, to face immediate and a future of uncertainty. When I awoke today, this memory was surging, as if it had happened in a dream. Immediately following, I felt a sense of grief. I'd thought of those lives lost or those still living, yearning to see their lost loved ones again.
We all feel pressure to do one grand act, to make a lasting impact on the lives of others:
Firefighters, police officers, and everyday people, saving lives or giving one's own, as happened 20 years ago today.
Nurses, doctors, medical professionals, and volunteers working tirelessly though a global pandemic.
Service men and women, who selflessly serve day in and day out, to protect and defend the freedoms we sometimes take for granted.
We imagine these are grand acts. But it's small moments each of these people engage in that create impact.
Every one of us has a story, in fact, many stories that make us who we are. For example, the story I shared above, about September 11, 2001, was my story, based on my perspective and experience. While this is a story, it is not the story that needs to be told. The stories that need to be told are those of the victims, the families, and the heroes. Using our stories to share their stories will draw out the small moments. And those moments are where the impact lives and breathes. My story is not the story. But using my story to tell the stories of others will help others learn, reflect, empathize, and grow. This will lead to change.
Learn the stories of others.
This morning, as I did my Saturday errands, I listened to this podcast. Immediately my mindset shifted from one of self-centeredness to others-centeredness. My focus became that of engaging with the stories of others, through their experiences of September 11, twenty years ago. Feeling present, I was grateful for the life my family and I are fortunate to have, my health and wellness, and my ability to empathize, almost habitually. I also thought about how, at work, we have the ability to forge meaningful personal connections each day, with kids and colleagues. And we have the means of learning people's stories, to better understand others, ourselves, and our place in the universe.
What have we learned from the experiences of September 11, 2001?
Living a meaningful life is about small moments. It's about noticing and capitalizing on these moments to spark or catalyze positive change. If we learn anything from the victims, their families, and the heroes of 2001, or today, in our hospitals, neighborhoods and cities, or battlefields faraway, maybe it's to notice, elevate, and celebrate the stories of others.
Maybe the legacies left behind will inspire hope, courage, and greatness in others, one story at a time.