Like most American’s, may you find yourself alive in the Strength and Unity of a powerful nation, not dark and defeated as the bringers of terror would have you.
9-11 a full 10 years later.
BEFORE = STRONG | AFTER = STRONGER
For what you don’t see is always stronger than what you do.
A day, a moment, a decision that changed the world. In some fundamental way a day that changed the lives of everyone one of us, even those who were not yet born.
Today, as I reflect on the day and decade that’s passed I find myself more keenly aware, more open, more thoughtful, more moved in my soul than my head was able to anticipate.
** Literally as I write these words a squadron of F-18’s just throttled over my house, down the front range with afterburners blazing in the bright sub, shaking the world from ground to sky. Tears roll down my face as I am overcome with compassion, pride and the titanium strength to kick some ass.
Well done, USA… Well done. **
And this brings me perfectly to my point, my deep thought for the day. Which is the terrorists made a fundamental mistake. They confused the stuff we American’s create with the strength we American’s embody.
The Stuff is NOT The Strength.
Like a young child who has not yet the grasped Object Permanence, who thinks a stuffed bear you put behind your back is gone, terrorists thought the loss of a few buildings would mean our Strength and our unity would vanish too.
Exactly the opposite of the truth.
Oh the sweet irony… For what stands taller than the twin towers today is the unity of the strength of the American ideal.
For what you don’t see is always stronger than what you do.
For what you don’t see is always stronger than what you do. Be that the heart and passion in your soul, or the Strength and resolve of a nation that replaced the missing towers and damaged buildings.
Rather than taking us down by tipping the towers and killing thousands of our best citizens they woke the sleeping giant and reminded us of what we stand for and why we do and must stand together.
The Strength of YOU-nity
You’ve no doubt heard me promise you that the Strength of a country, of a world is not “out there” but inside you—it begins with you.
A Stronger U –> A Stronger US –> for A Stronger USA
This is my call, my reminder that you have the ultimate responsibility not just to live to your full strength for yourself but for your family, your community and your country.
And you know I believe this with all of my heart and more of my head.
But there’s something even larger, even more important that this day in history brings clearly to light… and that’s the ultimate Strength is not—is never in the individual—it’s in the collective. It’s the US, the united collection of states, of people, the integration of ideals and perspectives united by one dominant and common belief…
It’s the most powerful, most important three words in the most important document in modern history…
“We the people…”
Take this day as reminder, feel the loss and feel the gain, reflect and during your day of mourning and even celebration, contemplate on the “we” of the people you want to be.
How do you bring your full strength of body, mind and heart to the YOU-nity of the U-S-A?
A Stronger U –> A Stronger US –> for A Stronger USA
Remember, today and every day that…
The Strength Begins With You.
Shawn
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