A Question of Remembering September 11,2001

As with many of us, the events of September 11, 2001 changed my life forever. I was out exercising and preparing for a trading day of the stock exchange when I arrived back home from my bike ride I saw the news and the second tower being hit. Devastated and in awe I watched as the events of that day unfolded. Was this the start of something larger, will further atrocities happen next? I live under a flight path of an International airport and next to what appeared to me as a likely target. The silence of the planes cast an eerie silence over my house. Having met a lot of people on Wall Street and the financial community I waited to hear whether or not my acquaintances made it through the ordeal.

As the days followed I took a look at my path and what I truly believed in on a spiritual level. A tragedy of this magnitude had to have some good come out of it. This was a way of awakening massive amounts of people quickly. I saw my country gather together in a manner that hadn’t occurred in my lifetime. Everyone was patriotic, everyone was a part of the Whole, we asked for help from other countries and they immediately supported our efforts. I thought this may be a great dawning, a new beginning, a time to realize we are a global community not just a nation ,but a nation among many. Our leadership ability as a growing and prosperous nation will lead the way in peace and understanding throughout the entire planet. This tragedy will serve as a building block for real understanding among nations, a true United Nations standing hand and hand against extremism and negative thought patterns so long held as core beliefs.

I was excited as our government worked together to move forward and resolve to make changes. I saw people on both sides of the political aisle put aside differences and strive to make the nation stronger, healthier and encourage the growth needed form surviving such a national tragedy. I saw for the first time in my lifetime our form of government really work, really tackle projects, to really do the right thing.

My own choices, in my own life needed changing. My livelihood as I knew it was destroyed with the towers. The markets would be in turmoil for some time and my heart was not into the long rebuilding process. I had spent a long time in front of a computer screen analyzing the markets and determining the best course of action to maximize profits and being in the right place at the right time. At this point, I felt as if there was no point for me at least. I needed to get back to working with people,. I had the idea that by being a friend, being available to other human beings a difference can be made for the betterment of the planet. I had been in isolation with the markets to too long and needed to change my outlook. I vowed to myself to give back to people, to make a difference and that road has changed my life. And I hope in some way can change even a small part of this world to look at things differently, to look at life from a Whole perspective to not just be isolated as an individual or as a country but to look further beyond our differences to the similarities and the Oneness that we are.