Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City.
It was, to say the least, a very sobering experience.
As I walked through the museum I had very much the same emotional sense that I had when walking through the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. There is a heaviness, a sadness, an emotion that you can’t quite put your finger on.
The first thing I vividly remember seeing is a very large photograph taken from New Jersey looking across at the twin towers at 8:30 am on September 11, 2001. It’s a beautiful shot that was an iconic image that represented New York City and, to some extent, even the Unites States.
Sixteen minutes later the scene was very different.
The museum is reverently quiet. Everyone there knows they are in a sacred place. At the time, I worked with a young lady whose brother was killed that day. In one area there are photographs of all the victims hanging on several walls. While I was unable to find his picture on the wall there were several video monitors that allowed you to search for each victim. Through the search feature I found him quickly. I never knew him but the emotion I’d been feeling throughout my visit became even greater as I thought of his sister and her family.
The stories of courage of the firefighters, the police officers, the port authority people and just the regular people who went to work that day are incredible. None of them could have imagined what awaited them that day.
Sometimes we get to choose whether or not to be courageous. Other times courage chooses us. Courage chose countless people that day. Some of them paid the greatest price for their courage. My friend’s brother was one of those who responded to the call for courage that day. You’d know his story.
Is courage calling on you today? Do you have the courage to answer the call?
Looking for a speaker for an upcoming event? I’d love to be that guy. You can reach me at dave@cultivatecourage.com or 952-200-7499.
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