Today is September 11, 2014. For most Americans of teen age or older and many other people throughout the world September 11 holds extreme significance because of the events that took place exactly 13 years ago today in New York City and other parts of the United States. The events are referred to plainly as 9/11. As President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese that drove us into World War II, September 11, 2001, has joined December 7, 1941, as "a date which will live in infamy".
The thing about infamous events and times is that many groups and individuals have them. Bad things happen every day throughout the world and the survivors must live with the memories of them for the rest of their lives. Most of us that are not considered sociopaths or psychopaths or otherwise of extremely ill repute live through events like these, but they shake us to our very core and change our outlook on life forever.
September 11, 2001, was significant to me purely because of the affects it had on so many people throughout the world. It did not affect me directly because I did not have any close friends or family at the time that were injured or hurt or otherwise directly involved with the attacks that took place that day. I was just starting my sophomore year of college and many classes were canceled and students often were excused from attending. I was not affected directly, but I was affected greatly--and still am to some degree--indirectly by the events of that day. To this day I know people who in some way were affected either directly or indirectly by 9/11 and still carry external or internal scars of the events from that day.
People ask, "Where were you when you heard the news of the attacks of 9/11?" Children born near that date or afterward cannot tell you either because they were not yet alive or because they are too young to remember. Many people can identify exactly where they were and what they were doing when they got the news and many other details that otherwise might go unnoticed. That is the thing about dates of infamy--the exact circumstances are seared into our memories forever.
Most people alive today either are too young to remember where they were or were not alive on December 7, 1941. For much of the human population that date is fading away and becoming little more than a piece of history to be discussed and contemplated by historians and scholars. Although the living memories of events like 1941/12/07 and 2001/09/11 diminish, the affects of the events never will.
Infamous occasions are not the only ones with enduring affects. Exhilarating occasions arguably are entirely unbounded. The day that one meets their true love and the day that loving parents' children are born are among these greatest of occasions. Joyous moments like these are deeply personal and rarely shared directly with a large group of people. That does not mean that they are less important than negative events like 9/11 and Pearl Harbor. To the contrary, because joyous events are so personal they are of great value. Whenever we share our stories of struggle and triumph, ecstatic experiences, or simply a few kind words or a smile with others we add to our collective goodwill.
With all of the terrible things that have happened and continue to happen every day it can be difficult to have a positive outlook on life and the future of the human race. Our problems can feel insurmountable. We might decide to live a very selfish and materialistic life or end our life prematurely in a desperate attempt to stop the misery. Unpleasant things happen in order to remind us of the good things in life. No matter how dire things get, we can always fall back to this: life is a gift, and like any gift it is the thought that counts. If one thinks the gift of life is nothing but a cruel joke, then it will be. If one thinks the gift of life is a ride to be relished, then it will be. Rides are not always safe or delightful. Sometimes the ride is mundane and other times it is not only noteworthy but life-altering. A ride can be downright risky and potentially lethal, but it's just a ride. Eventually it will end. People like to argue about the "source" of the ride and where we go when it is over, but does that really matter? I cannot take credit for the metaphor of life as a ride. It was the great Bill Hicks that said, "Don't worry. Don't be afraid--ever--because...this is just a ride." Ultimately we are not in absolute control of our rides. Sometimes it is best just to throw our hands up and enjoy the bumps, twists, turns, and other nuances of the ride. After all, the alternatives are to make it miserable for others or depart the ride before its natural conclusion in which case you also could be making the ride less enjoyable for others. I choose to see what else is going to happen on this ride, be thankful for the journey, and help others to do the same whenever and however possible.
