Remembering September 11 2001

On September 11, 2001, I was not a golfer. I took up golf in late 2004. Now I can’t imagine a better way to spend the anniversary of that day than by playing golf, so I’m glad my golf club is holding its annual Open tournament tomorrow. I will be honoring all Americans – including those who died and their families – by doing what I love best and wishing they could be doing the same.

I wrote the following on September 11, 2002 and, up until now, only shared it with the group of people I happened to be stranded with on that terrible day and my other loved ones. Now I put it out for all.

September 11, 2002

The sun is making its journey to light up the entire country as if it needs to.

One year ago today, something far darker than the absence of light struck our towering beliefs.

As our horror heightened, so did our true spirit. Our heroes emerged, saving thousands of lives, many at the cost of their own. Too many lives were lost, but not a soul.

Our symbols were attacked, our routines suspended. Lives were forever altered by the senseless loss of loved ones. We haven’t yet noticed the births.

Symbols are just symbols. By destroying them, our enemies’ effect was to strengthen our cause. The ideas rooting the symbols were fortified. Their essence, our freedom, was reborn.

We shook in fear as we imagined the terror of the victims and witnessed the horror ourselves. We looked in awe at the bravery of our heroes, yet wept at the sacrifice. We wondered if our own lives were meaningful enough to have been spared.

Energy was released from each heart that stopped that day. Every victim’s last breath would be collectively drawn in by a grieving nation. As it felt like our hearts were broken, our spirit was gathering force.

Eventually, people returned to the business of their lives. For a time, it seemed like just going through the motions. For some, routines sneaked back until it was business as usual. Others charted brand new courses in light of the events that occurred. Despite some appearances, not a single American has forgotten, nor will they ever.

We either honor the lives lost by making our own lives more meaningful, or our own lives are more meaningful because we honor the lives lost. This fact excludes no true American. We will continue to fight the battles to preserve our ideals and prevent future blows, but one strike against us has already won us the war. The very nature of our beliefs determined this inevitable outcome, and always will.

Day or night, this country is lit from within its core, its people.

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