There are many words to describe the breathtaking and spectacular 9/11 Memorial in downtown Manhattan. But as I stood there, gazing upon this great American tribute with my wife and daughters, there was one word that immediately jumped to mind. Resilience!
I vividly recall the first time I visited Ground Zero after that devastating day in 2001. It was less than a month after September 11th and I had a client meeting two blocks away from the former World Trade Center site. As I made my way toward the barricades and the cranes, the smell was the first thing that hit me. It was a sickening combination of noxious fumes and death. Bulldozers tore through the rubble trying to bring a sense of order to the madness. It was no use.
The twisted piles of debris were still smoldering and chaos was still in charge. At that moment, it seemed the world would never be the same. How could our nation recover from such a senseless tragedy? Now, almost 14 years later, an elegant memorial stood in the footprint of the original towers and the majestic Freedom Tower shot up like a beacon of hope in the Manhattan skyline.
Jutting 1,776 feet into air, Freedom Tower proves that America has come back stronger than ever. Bulldozers and cranes are still at the site but they are now ushering in a new world order of growth and strength. What seemed like a hopeless manifestation of defeat is now a shimmering testament of resilience!
In the same way, when we suffer a setback in our lives, our initial assessment is that things will never be the same. The loss of a loved one, a financial misstep, a traumatic accident, or a costly mistake at work can leave us feeling despondent and devoid of hope. Things will not make sense at first and chaos will rule the day. How can we get back to normal amidst the devastation?
We have to allow ourselves time to clear the rubble. In the initial days or even months following the setback, we may still feel shattered. We will doubt ourselves and question our purpose. This is natural, and , as long as we are moving forward, that is okay. But we can never allow ourselves to permanently lose the faith!
Once the rubble is cleared, we will learn to trust our instincts. We will see that the only way to replace the hole created by the setback is to build again. The cranes and bulldozers will return and we will start to feel a sense of hope as we build a new future. Will it be the same as the past? No, but that is okay. We will be stronger and even more impervious to attack in the future. Once we rebuild, there is nothing that will keep us down!
Which brings us back to the 9/11 Memorial. That night, I couldn’t stop thinking about the tragic events of 2001. Feeling restless, I got up early the next day to jog by the site once again. As the morning sun struck the tip of the tower and cast an orange glow across the pools below, tears began to stream down my face. Were they tears of sadness? Of course. So many great lives were lost that day in New York , Washington, DC and Shanksville, PA and we will never get them back.
But they were also tears of great joy. In the days following 9/11, especially in New York and Washington, DC, the American people were timid and shaken. The backfire of a truck or a low flying aircraft would send people sprawling to the ground for cover. Some 14 years later, as I looked around the site, I saw an incredible physical structure that symbolized the resilience of America. But, more importantly, I witnessed confident Americans going about their daily routine with resolve and purpose. No one had forgotten the pain and loss of that day, but there was a collective toughness and resilience that had settled in.
It was as if the American people were joining together to scream “YOU CAN’T MESS WITH THE USA!” A great country had bounced back stronger than ever from one of its greatest modern tragedies. And that was enough to drive any man to tears.
The same principles apply to us as we overcome the various obstacles that life may throw our way. Be proud. Stay resilient. Stay confident in the days ahead. We will have tough decisions to make and we will experience failure along the way. But it will be temporary if we can remain calm and stay positive.
We must never forget that our best days are ahead of us. Good luck in your resilient journey and God Bless America!
Until next week, keep smiling.