19 Years Later - 9/11 Reflections

For me, 9/11 will always be a day of quiet reflection about a terrible tragedy.

And, via something called Project 2,996, also a celebration of the lives (not the deaths).

Here's a post of celebrating some of those lost lives on the 10th anniversary via my own participation in that project.

 

Now, 19 years later, my reflections aren't just about those beautiful lives, because in the US alone this year, we are dealing more than 190,000 deaths, more than 9,000 deaths in Canada, and just under one million deaths world-wide due to a global pandemic.

In September of 2011, we were anxious, frightened, and mortified about deadly terrorist attacks. We responded by coming together, trying to focus on celebrating the lives of those tragically lost, of comforting those around us, and holding our loved ones close.

This September, the attack, we realize, hasn't come from a single calculated physical assault, but something far more deadly, far uglier, far more pervasive and far more difficult to over-come.

And I'm not just talking about a virus -- or at least not just about covid-19, a deadline virus transmitted through contact. That is part of it.

But we're also suffering from a much deadlier virus bred on hatred, fear, and lies -- a virus of intense and impassioned divisiveness, of anger, of fear-mongering, of objectifying and dehumanizing the "other" -- a virus of a belief that one's opinion and ready-made meme and confirmation bias is far better than actual science, that one's beliefs about race, about religion, about sexuality, are more important than basic and fundamental human rights, that a completely artificial construct and adhering to the "party of choice" is far more important than basic decency, compassion and respect.

I reflect on the words of a leader I long admired, a man whose own life was cut short. Jack Layton said it best in his final letter to Canadians when he said this:

"We can be a better one – a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world’s environment. We can restore our good name in the world....

".....consider the alternatives; and consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don’t let them tell you it can’t be done.

"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world."

No, it's not going to be easy to pick up the pieces, find ways to focus on what unites us, what we have in common, but it usually begins with the way we cherish and honor our loved ones, the way we seek to nourish and support rather than objectify and destroy. And seeing how we can extend that compassion beyond our our units.

If we can start with love, if we can start with respect, if we can have those difficult, painful, and awkward discussions that lead to growth rather than doubling down on our own confirmation biases, we can have hope and optimism.

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[Please don't comment with hate, anger, finger-pointing, blame naming, conspiracy theories, or any such ilk.This is not the place for it, and I will delete those comments. Go spread hate, fear, and anger on your own digital wall.

And if you feel that this post is a threat to what you believe, or where you stand, consider why you feel that way. What about what I said made you uncomfortable? What about what I said made you self-identify? You might notice that I haven't called out any specific persons, or groups, or political parties, except to quote from a man whose vision I respect and admire.

On the other hand, if you self-identified with the idea that compassion, that hope, that optimism, that love, are a good place to start, that is also worthy of reflection. What makes you optimistic, hopeful, respectful?

Also know that I see myself as being hopeful and optimistic, but I also see myself as being flawed - fixing that is an ongoing and never-ending process. I have made countless mistakes; I have done plenty of wrongs. I will, I know, inevitably continue to err, to fail at times, despite what I believe are positive intentions. But I try, in whatever small ways I can, to continue to be open to listen, to learn, to grow, recognizing that every day I am battling with so many pre-existing confirmation biases of my own. As we all are.]

Fourteen Years Ago

Fourteen years ago a dramatic and terrible series of events occurred, 2996 people lost their lives, and the world was forever changed.

Project 2,996 was initiated by blogger D. Challenger Roe as a way to bring bloggers from around the world together to remember and pay tribute to the victims of Sept 11, 2001.

The point of the project is to CELEBRATE and REMEMBER the lives of those who were lost rather than focusing on the tragedy of that day.

This past summer my partner and I visited the 9/11 memorial in New York City and I was overcome with an incredibly powerful emotion. I walked around the beautiful structures, touching the names of so many strangers, thinking about all of the lives that were cut short, about the elements that each of those people used to bring to the world and to the lives of those they knew and loved.

We met a few people who were there to find the names of their known loved ones, and at times felt like odd spectators at the scene of a horrible highway accident -- curious and concerned even though we had no direct ties to the people whose lives were lost.

And then I found myself looking to see if I could find the names of those whose lives, as part of Project 2,996, I researched, in order to remember them. But I realized finding the engraved names didn't really mean anything -- instead, talking about them, which I did, helped honour their memory. As will, I hope, re-sharing their stories again this year.

 Raymond Meisenheimer

 

Remembering Raymond Meisenheimer  (Blog post from 2006)

Deora Francis Bodley

 

  Remembering The Lives of Two Heros (Blog post from 2007)

David Reed Gamboa Bradhorst

  Project 2996 - Sept 11, 2008 (Blog post from 2008)

 

Though I never knew them, I do often feel like they are long long friends, and so today I have been again thinking and reflecting on their lives.

Every year, on this anniversary -- and sometimes on the days in between -- I re-read the original posts, I think about the lives they lived before the tragedy and I send a silent thought that they are not forgotten.

Thirteen Years Ago

It has been thirteen years since the tragic event of Sept 11, 2001 and 2996 people lost their lives.

Blogger D. Challenger Roe began Project 2,996 as a way to bring bloggers from around the world together to remember and pay tribute to the victims of Sept 11, 2001.

The point of the project is to celebrate and remember the LIVES of those who were lost rather than focusing on the tragedy of that day.

Birds circling in the tribute lights - from 9pixs.com

I adore the fact that the focus of this blog meme wasn't on the horror, but on the celebration of the lives, the people they had been before 9/11.

Here are my own links to three individuals that I focused on learning a bit about and sharing.  Every year, on this anniversary, I re-read the posts, think about the lives they lived before the tragedy.

 Raymond Meisenheimer

 

Remembering Raymond Meisenheimer  (Blog post from 2006)

Deora Francis Bodley

 

  Remembering The Lives of Two Heros (Blog post from 2007)

David Reed Gamboa Bradhorst

  Project 2996 - Sept 11, 2008 (Blog post from 2008)

It's my small way of continuing to celebrate their lives, of not forgetting . . .

Remembering A Tragedy By Celebrating Their Lives

On the anniversary of the tragic day where 2996 people lost their lives blogger D. Challenger Roe began Project 2,996.

The concept was to bring bloggers from around the world together to remember and pay tribute to the victims of Sept 11, 2001.

Photo from 9/11 Virtual Career Fair article by Kevin O'Brien - Huffpost

Roe instructed bloggers to take the time to get to know one of the people who died and to celebrate and remember their lives rather than focus on the tragedy that befell them that fateful day.

I still love the fact that the focus of this blog meme wasn't on the horror, but on celebrating the lives, the people they had been before 9/11.

Here are my own links to three individuals that I focused on learning a bit about and sharing.  Ever year, on this anniversary, I re-read the posts, think about the lives they lived and the differences they made before those lives were ended.

The posts about the people are listed below.

 Raymond Meisenheimer

 

Remembering Raymond Meisenheimer  (Blog post from 2006)

Deora Francis Bodley

 

  Remembering The Lives of Two Heros (Blog post from 2007)

David Reed Gamboa Bradhorst

  Project 2996 - Sept 11, 2008 (Blog post from 2008)

It's my small way of celebrating these lives, and not forgetting.

Remembering And Celebrating Their Lives - Project 2996

For many years now, on the anniversary of the tragic day where 2996 people lost their lives D. Challenger Roe began Project 2,996 which brought bloggers from around the world together to remember and pay tribute to the victims of Sept 11, 2001.

The focus was to take the time to get to know one of the people who died and to celebrate and remember their lives rather than focus on the tragedy that befell them that fateful day.

From the very beginning I loved the fact that the focus wasn't on the tragedy but on celebrating the lives, the people they had been before 9/11.

As part of this tribute, I took the time to find information and remember three different individuals.  And each year, I go back and re-read the posts, think about the lives they lived and the differences they made before those lives ended. As a way to continue to celebrate them

The posts about the people are listed below.

Raymond Meisenheimer - Remembering Raymond Meisenheimer  (2006)

Deora Francis Bodley - Remembering The Lives of Two Heros (2007)

David Reed Gamboa Bradhorst and his fathers Daniel Brandhorst and Ronald Gamboa - Project 2996 - Sept 11, 2008 (2008)

These are just a few of so many lives that were lost on that day and in the days beyond. It is more than ten years ago, but so many lives have been permanently altered, the course of history was forever changed. But at the base of the anniversary of this tragedy lies the simple fact that loved ones were lost, people who loved and were loved and who continue to live on in our memories and hearts.

Remembering 9/11 Ten Years Later

It has been ten years since the tragic events of Sept 11, 2001.

Several years ago, on the anniversary of the tragic day where 2996 people lost their lives, blogger D. Challenger Roe began Project 2,996 -- it was an exercise in bringing bloggers from around the world together to remember the victims of Sept 11, 2001.

The idea was for bloggers to take the time to get to know one of the people who died and to celebrate and remember their lives rather than focus on the tragedy that befell them that fateful day. I loved the fact that the focus wasn't on the tragedy but on celebrating the lives, the people they had been before 9/11.

I took the time to find information and remember three different individuals over the years. Each year, I go back and re-read the posts about them, think about the lives they lived and the differences they made before their lives were cut short.

The posts about the people are listed below.

Raymond Meisenheimer - Remembering Raymond Meisenheimer  (2006)

Deora Francis Bodley - Remembering The Lives of Two Heros (2007)

David Reed Gamboa Bradhorst & his fathers Daniel Brandhorst and Ronald Gamboa - Project 2996 - Sept 11, 2008 (2008)

A return/overview to the previous posts -Project 2,996 (2009) and yet another revisit last year.


These are just a few of so many lives that have been lost on that day and in the days beyond. So many lives have been altered, the course of history was forever changed. But beneath the world-wide gathering that is occurring on this tenth anniversary, all the memorials and media attention there still lies the simple fact that loved ones were lost, people who loved and were loved and who continue to live on in our memories and hearts.

Remembering September 11, 2001

It has been nine years since the tragic events of Sept 11, 2001. Several years ago, on the anniversary of the tragic day where 2996 people lost their lives, blogger D. Challenger Roe has headed up Project 2,996 -- an exercise in bringing bloggers together to remember the victims of Sept 11, 2001.

The idea was for bloggers to take the time to get to know one of the victims and to celebrate and remember their lives rather than focus on the tragedy that befell them that fateful day.

I took the time to find information and remember three different individuals over the years. Each year, I go back and re-read the posts about them, think about the lives they lived and the differences they made before their lives were cut short.

The posts about the people are listed below.


Raymond Meisenheimer - Remembering Raymond Meisenheimer  (2006)

Deora Francis Bodley - Remembering The Lives of Two Heros (2007)

David Reed Gamboa Bradhorst & his fathers Daniel Brandhorst and Ronald Gamboa - Project 2996 - Sept 11, 2008 (2008)

A return/overview to the previous posts -Project 2,996 (2009)


Despite the fact that loved ones are lost, they continue to live on in our memories and hearts.

Da Count - Project 2,996

It has been 8 years since September 11, 2001.

For several years now, on the anniversary of the tragic day where 2996 people lost their lives, blogger D. Challenger Roe has headed up Project 2,996 -- an exercise in bringing bloggers together to remember the victims of Sept 11, 2001. The main purpose was for bloggers to take the time to get to know one of the victims and to celebrate and remember their lives rather than focus on the tragedy that befell them that fateful day.

Though I had participated in the past, this year I failed to properly research and celebrate a different person who I hadn't known or researched before who'd been lost that day. But I still believe Project 2,996 is a worthwhile cause and wanted to link back to some of the people who I have remembered in previous years.

In 2006, I remembered Raymond Meisenheimer. Click on his name or picture below to read about Raymond.

In 2007, I remembered Deora Francis Bodley. Click on her name or picture below to read about Deora.



In 2008, I remembered David Reed Gamboa Brandhorst. Click on his name or picture below to read more about David.



This year, as I mentioned, I haven't done the proper research into remembering another person. But I still couldn't let this day pass without spotlighting the people whose lives I learned a little bit about -- enough to remember them and pause to celebrate all those things they were before they were taken away.

So I'm counting the fact that there are bloggers out there like Dale Challenger Roe and the many people who participated in Project 2,996 this year and in previous years. So far there are 1080 tributes assigned this year. I'd like to encourage any bloggers reading this to take the time and either read a few of the existing tributes or perhaps write your own.

What I absolutely love about this project is that it brings bloggers together to celebrate something important -- lives lived; and that it demonstrates the fact that social networking activities like blogging really can bring people together to share and connect. That's definitely something worth counting.

Project 2996 - Sept 11, 2008

For the past couple of years I have participated in Project 2996 -- a collaborative effort made by bloggers all over the world to remember and celebrate the lives of the 2996 people who lost their lives on Sept 11, 2001.

In the past two years I took some time to remember Raymond Meisenheimer and Deora Francis Bodley. (Click on the links of their names to read my posts about these two unique individuals)

This year, I'd like to remember David Reed Gamboa Brandhorst.


David was 3 years old when he and his two adoptive fathers Daniel Brandhorst and Ronald Gamboa lost their lives on United Flight 175. The family was returning from Boston to Los Angeles, where they lived.

Daniel Brandhorst was 41 years old and worked for Pricewaterhouse Coopers. Ronald Gamboa was 33 and managed a Gap store in Santa Monica.

David, their son, who was adopted in 1998, was named after Daniel's brother. The young lad shared both the spirit and intellectual curiosity of his two daddies.

Given the fact that society still hasn't properly accepted the fact that two people of the same sex can love and cherish each other, Daniel and Ronald had to not only overcome all the usual slings and arrows a couple overcomes to get together, but had to also overcome those extra hurdles thrown at them by society.

But they did it, and they did it successfully.

They also overcame the societal obstacles in their desire to be fathers, to unconditionally love a child. And by all accounts, they were wonderful fathers to young David, a bright, loving and curious child with a whole world of possibilities ahead of him.

I have shed tears thinking about the loss of David and his two fathers, but Project 2996 isn't about bemoaning a loss, it is about celebrating the lives of those lost of September 11, 2001.

Their triumph is proof that love reigns strong, that love can conquer all, and that love endures. Let this love they showed, to each other and to their beautiful little boy, be an example to the rest of us. And may we never forget that important lesson.

None of the victims will be forgotten so long as we remember them.