A Way to Remember

Today is the anniversary of a defining day of a generation. Just like our parents remember where they were at the attack on Pearl Harbor, and many of us remember the assasination of President Kennedy, we and our children will remember the attacks on 9/11/2001 forever. While there are lots of political angles, I want to focus on two things in this brief post. I want to remember that time, right after 9/11 when, still reeling with vulnerability, our people reached out to one another in ways that had been unprecedented in our modern world- from volunteers rushing to help in NYC, Washington and Shanksville, to the simple act of speaking and smiling, and greeting our neighbors or even the people we passed on the street. In the days and months following 9/11, we moved beyond racial differences, socioeconomic differences, political differences... and were simply Americans.

There are many ways to commemorate this day, the sacrifices that have been made and the heroism and selflessness that marked that day and the days and weeks following, but for me, one of the most meaningful is myGoodDeed.org

This site encourages Americans to honor this day by pledging to do something selfless by volunteering time or money to a cause that helps others. It was this site that encouraged me to take my desires to help children and take the step of pledging to and becoming a CASA worker to honor the memory of the many heroes of that day and beyond. No matter how limited your resources , you can pledge to do something and that something will make a difference in someone's life. Visit the My Good Deed website and see the simple kindnesses that many have already pledged and make your own pledge... and remember the heroes of 9/11 by showing the goodness and caring that is the best of America, of our world, every day.